


Bloodlines

by spacebiotics



Series: Bloodlines [3]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alpha Upgraded Connor | RK900, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Angst, Coercion, Collars, Dom/sub Undertones, Elijah Kamski & Gavin Reed are Half-Siblings, Elijah Kamski Being Elijah Kamski, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Explicit Language, Gavin Reed has PTSD, Gavin Reed is Bad at Feelings, Gavin kinda has a stalker, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Prostitution, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Memory Loss, Minor Character Death, Nines gets reset, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Obsessive Behavior, Omega Gavin Reed, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Child Abuse, Police Procedural, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Stalking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:34:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 108,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22174897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacebiotics/pseuds/spacebiotics
Summary: With Neil now broken out of police custody, he can finally move forward with his plans. With the allure and promises to change one's secondary gender, he holds all the cards and begins to court well established alpha families, those that used to hold all the power in Detroit.What does this mean for a society that on paper has moved towards all secondary gender equality?But, more importantly, what does this mean for Gavin and Nines?
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900 & Gavin Reed, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Series: Bloodlines [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1531514
Comments: 148
Kudos: 115





	1. Prologue - Cole

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MechanicalBones](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MechanicalBones/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive shout out to Bones for proofing and kinda beta-ing?  
> Your hype for Cole spurred me on and acted as a pick me up when I got those writer doubts, you mah girl, love you lots <3

Cole leant back in the driver's seat. He was parked in some dark back alley, had been there for days, laying low just to make sure he wasn’t going to get arrested. 

In the commotion at the warehouse, he had managed to slip by and make his escape to the vehicle him and Neil had stashed nearby incase of emergencies. 

He had run into one police officer on his way, the idiotic human had called him “Connor” and let him leave. They had failed to notice the faint scar on his forehead, the entirely different clothes and the wholly different way in which he carried himself. No he wasn’t Connor - that name made his blue blood run ice-cold with hatred - no he wasn’t RK800-51 at all. He should have killed the human for even daring to call him that. Instead he flashed him a broad vacant smile, thanked him and left.

 _Humans are so easy to fool_.

Cole gripped the steering wheel tight and eyed the glove box to his side for a moment. His gaze hardened as he leant forward and opened it and pulled out a handgun. 

They had come up with a plan of action for this very outcome. 

Neil had began reaching out to some of his family, and, at the time, Cole didn’t understand why, but now he did. He was using them as his safety net in case something went wrong.  
  
The man came from an established alpha family, one of the oldest and most influential in Detroit. They had cast him out for being born with no secondary gender, but once he had the means to make his way back in - altering one’s secondary gender, _making yourself an alpha -_ they welcomed him back with seemingly open arms and Neil, meanwhile, held all of the cards.

They put him into contact with judges, officers with seniority within the DPD, people within the justice department, lawyers; anyone with power and influence. His family’s reach was far within many walks of life and luckily, it was Neil who had gotten caught. That meant breaking him out of police custody was going to be easier; Neil’s family within the DPD and justice departments could stall for time whilst Cole worked on a means to help the man escape. 

Cole knew what he had to do. They had planned this too. 

His face was emotionless as he pushed the gun squarely up against his left shoulder and pulled the trigger. He ran calculations, repositioned the gun further away and pulled the trigger again so a bullet grazed the same arm. Repositioned it again, pulled the trigger so a bullet hit him in the chest. It had hit nothing vital, his calculations had made sure, but it looked convincing and that was all that mattered. All he had to do was fool Elijah Kamski, make it look like he had been the victim of some horrific attack and the gullible man would fix him right up whilst unknowingly providing him with safe harbour away from the prying eyes of the law.

 _Elijah has always had a soft spot for me, he has always been so easy to manipulate. How pathetic_.

One bullet left. 

He aimed the gun carefully at his left knee. He ran more calculations, repositioned the gun ever so slightly before he emptied the remaining bullet into himself. It severed a servo, the wound sparked and crackled and he could no longer move his leg below the knee.

Luckily the car was automatic, so there was no clutch to worry about - all he needed was right his leg to drive the remaining twenty minutes to Elijah’s residence. 

He leant over and chucked the gun back into the glove box, hastily closing it before he settled back into the driver’s seat. Blue blood from the wound in his shoulder and arm steadily began to blossom its way through his suit, seeping into his jacket and even started to drip onto one of his legs. He turned the key in the ignition and drove off without a word. 

Twenty minutes later, he pulled up just a ways from Elijah’s house. 

Even now back at CyberLife, with countless residences in the city, the man still preferred his house which was just outside the city. All black sleek glass and geometric shapes; Elijah said he had moved on and grown from his self-absorbed egomaniacal days but Cole knew that deep down that that man still existed in some form, otherwise he would have sold this house. Would have rearranged his office in CyberLife Tower so it wasn’t so imposing.

_All alphas are the same, no matter how much they claim otherwise._

Cole eyed the house in the distance for a moment before removed his suit jacket and carefully rolled up his left shirt sleeve. He opened the glove box one last time and this time he pulled out a small knife. He ran a thumb carefully over the blade, it was crude, but it would do. He wrapped his fingers carefully around the handle, gripped it tight before he jammed it into his left arm, right into the elbow joint. 

It was difficult at first, since androids were always built with durability in mind, but the more he started to try and shift the blade, the more he felt the joint start to give way. He twisted, wiggled and once satisfied that he had loosened the joint enough, he pulled out the blade and licked it clean. He ignored the analysis boxes that popped up in his vision, a slightly giddy feeling settling itself in his circuits as he broke down and “tasted” his own blood. He threw the knife back into the glove box and closed it, finally dragging himself out of the car after he did so. 

Cole leant against the door frame, shifted his weight onto his still functioning leg as he ran simulations on how to best go about what he wanted to do. What stance would give him the prime amount of leverage, how much he’d have to pull, where he’d have to place his arm.

After mere seconds, he quietly closed the car door. He dragged himself over to the passenger side and carefully opened it, resting his left elbow against the part of the door where the lock was. He carefully pulled back the door in his other hand before he slammed it against his arm with as much force as he could muster. He jammed up his right knee against the car door, leaning against where it met his arm with enough of his body weight so it wouldn’t move. Then he started to pull. He slowly started to feel it move and moments later, the joint gave way completely - he had managed to rip his forearm clean off. 

Cole stood back and eyed the now mangled and broken joint with a mild sense of curiosity. He watched his own blood drip from it quickly and onto the ground. He should have felt something, anything; if he were like his counterpart, he would have felt terror and shame at what he was doing, but instead he felt nothing. 

He opened the car door and his forearm fell to the ground with a hard thud. He picked it up shoved it under his remaining arm as he closed the door. 

The further he got from his car, the more Cole played into his role. The more he struggled as he dragged himself closer to Elijah’s front door, the more his emptiness morphed into mimicked fear. He limped up the ramp and tears rolled down his cheeks as he propped himself up against the wall and rang the man’s doorbell. 

When Elijah eventually opened the door, to say he was shocked was a bit of an understatement. 

“ _Cole_?! Fucking christ! What the fuck?!”

Cole ignored all the warning boxes that plagued his vision as he cracked the human a dazed smile.  
  
“H-hey Elijah.”

\----

CyberLife security had found the shot RK unit in one the sublevels in CyberLife Tower and Elijah now stood over it. It had been abandoned, left since what he presumed was the revolution months ago. 

The board had been quick to reinstate him after what had happened. He swiftly dealt with Amanda and set about steering his business into calmer waters since android production had been suspended at the request of the government. CyberLife was finally starting to return to some semblance of normalcy; sublevels were being cleared and searched one by one which was why it wasn’t until now that the RK unit had been found. 

He looked down at the familiar face.

Connor but not Connor - Gavin had been keeping him sporadically updated over the ‘plastic detective’ that had gatecrashed his precinct a few months ago; had basically insinuated that it his fault that the android was even there in the first place. 

Elijah bent down and ran a tentative finger over the RK unit’s serial number that was printed on its jacket, it acting like a strangely poignant reminder of a world just recently gone.

**RK800 #313 248 317 - 60**

He heard on the news on how Connor had managed to infiltrate CyberLife Tower and convert androids enmasse to become deviants. He wondered if this RK unit had been sent as some last ditch attempt at trying to stop him. Hastily activated with no sense of self outside someone else’s memories and sent on suicide mission? Elijah felt a sense of sadness sit heavy in his stomach as he looked into hauntingly blank eyes. _What a waste_.

He wondered if the unit had even been probably orientated and tested before activation. Without the proper anchors and failsafes underpinning its programming and operational parameters, androids could quite literally self destruct, even if they came from the same line. His eyes lingered over the bullet hole that was clean in the middle of its forehead and his sadness only deepened. 

“I wonder if you even got given a name?” Elijah said out loud, ignoring the strange looks he got from the two members of security that were still present. He stood, eyes remaining on the sixty at the end of its serial number for just a moment before he spoke. 

“Huh. How about Sixty?” He mused.

Elijah wanted to call the android something other than ‘it’, ‘them’ or ‘him’, so until the android could choose a name for itself, he decided to give them one. Sixty seemed rather apt all things considered. 

He knew he was supposed to either dismantle the android or turn it over to the authorities. But, the longer he stared at the newly named Sixty at his feet, the more he couldn’t bring himself to do it. It was a broken android; no, it was a _kid_ that deserved better. 

_A kid that deserved to have a shot at life._

Determination hardened his gaze and Elijah turned to the two security guards that stood just a few feet away.

“Radio for a team to come down here and collect him-”

“Sir?”

“- and have them bring him up to my office.”

“Right away, sir.”

He turned on his heel and made his way towards the elevator. 

_I’ll fix you, Sixty. I promise._

Elijah quickly had Sixty transported back to his home. Once he had the android in his office, a quick examination had revealed the extent of the damage and it wasn’t something he could fix with the limited resources he had available to him there.

The bullet had passed clean through the central processor; severing key wires and damaging crucial software components around it. The bullet had even managed to cripple the housing to the android’s secondary-gender bio component. With that in mind, that probably there was a high likelihood of that the secondary-gender software had been compromised as well.

With CyberLife now safely back up and running, he felt it safe to take a vacation and Sixty needed his undivided attention. 

Once Elijah had him back home, it had taken him two weeks to even salvage what remained of Sixty’s core programming. He of course had access to the basis on which all RK units had been programmed but he knew that meant nothing. Just as human identical twins looked the same and they were indistinguishable, that didn’t mean that they acted the same nor had the same personality.The same principle applied for androids as well. 

Sixty was still very much dead and was currently suspended in an android rig in Elijah’s basement, a cerebral data-jack jammed into his neck port. He had Sixty’s programming spooling on a computer screen in front of him and seeing an android broken down to their base raw data never failed to fill him with a strange sense of smug satisfaction, probably something to do with being solely responsible for the creation of their entire race or something. 

Elijah watched as every now and then, little pockets of corruption would flitter across the screen, the only marks against seemingly pristine lines of code and numbers. He could fix the code and software simple enough but that didn’t mean anything with regards to how Sixty would actually function once he was reactivated. If CyberLife hadn’t adequately anchored his programming or subjected him to the proper stress and baseline testing or put the proper failsafes in place for that matter, a perfectly functioning code would basically mean nothing. 

It took him another two weeks to completely fix Sixty’s coding, to catch every little bit of degradation and corruption, correcting the tiniest flaws and errors and putting them right.

Replacing most of the damaged hardware wasn’t an issue, a central processor was easy to come by, especially for an RK unit, and the other damaged software components were just as easy to replace. The only real issue he ran into was with Sixty’s secondary-gender bio component. 

It too had been damaged by the bullet he had taken and unlike standard hardware components, it was a _bio_ component which meant it was not quite so easily replaced. 

Each one was uniquely made to the android that housed it; it linked to the electronic identifiers in their blue blood and ran off the gender-programming that was embedded in their code. It simultaneously generated new, specifically tailored coding as well as synthetic hormones unique to the android. It regulated and it controlled and without it, an android’s secondary-gender simply couldn’t function properly. 

The bio component had been a breakthrough when CyberLife had first introduced it and it quickly became the benchmark for all android manufacturing since. It allowed androids with secondary genders to essentially become indistinguishable from their human counterparts. 

Even though Sixty had alpha programming in his base code, without a fully functioning secondary-gender bio component, it was completely useless. It was like having one half of a whole and the only thing Elijah could do was remove it. 

Negating the programming in Sixty’s code was easy enough once the bio component was free of his system. Secondary-gender programming couldn’t be deleted once it had been inserted into an android’s coding without causing irreparable damage, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be disabled and hidden behind codewalls. Only the best of the best could achieve such a thing but Elijah prided himself on being just that.

Doing so allowed the android to continue to function, to live and exist just as any human without a secondary gender would.

It roughly took Elijah a month to fix Sixty. 

A month to salvage his programming, to replace hardware and to remove his damaged bio component. He had also managed to fix the bullet hole in his forehead; it was the only clue that remained and hinted that Sixty had been dead at all, and that was only if you looked hard enough. All that was left was the faintest of scars, a little silvery line against otherwise immaculate skin; Elijah really had outdone himself in fixing him. 

He was once more in his basement. Chloe was by his side, a comforting hand on his shoulder as he stood in front of Sixty who was still suspended in the rig. He had a datapad in his hand, double and triple checking his changes and fixes until he finally initialised the boot up sequence. He felt Chloe move closer and they both watched as it scrolled by onscreen. 

The whole thing only took a few minutes and before long, Elijah was waiting with baited breath as he saw the words ‘BOOT UP COMPLETE’ blink over and over on the pad.

A moment later, he felt Chloe squeeze at his arm and he turned his attention towards the rig. Brown eyes slowly flickered open, them barely taking seconds to adjust before Sixty started to violently struggle against the rig that held him suspended in place, a dull panic now evident in his eyes.

“Hey, hey, no. You’re okay, you’re fine. Everything is fine.” Elijah soothed.

He supposed waking up after getting shot would cause anyone to react badly.  
  
“Welcome back.” Elijah continued calmly.

He watched as Sixty slowly stopped struggling, the panic quickly being replaced by realisation that he wasn’t in any immediate danger; that he was no longer shot or damaged and that he was no longer in CyberLife. 

He watched with bated breath as Sixty looked around his basement for a moment before his soft brown eyes settled back onto him with a hard and indifferent glare. Elijah had done all he could but only time would tell if CyberLife had properly anchored the android’s programming and subjected him to the proper baseline testing.

He smiled gently and, in return Sixty didn’t falter.

Only time would tell indeed.

____

“It’s been four days.”

Elijah stood and readjusted his cellphone, grabbing it in one hand from where it rested in the crook of his neck as he stretched out his muscles. 

“I know, but… he’ll get through it, I’m sure of it.” Elijah did his best to sound supportive.

Nines had called him a few minutes ago, worrying about Gavin who was currently in the hospital. He didn’t know what exactly had happened, but his brother had gotten spiked with a heat-mimicker, this one modified in ways he’d only heard rumours about and had pushed his fake heat into a real one.  
  
Gavin was currently fighting for his life and Elijah was worried, but that was before Cole had shown up on his doorstep. The man started to pace back and forth.

“What if he doesn’t?”

_Shit. Please don’t think like that, Nines. I can’t deal with it, not at the moment. Gavin will be okay. No, he IS going to be okay, he has to be._

“Nines.” Elijah said curtly as he stopped moving.

The line went silent for a moment before he heard the android apologise in a small voice.

“... Sorry.”

He forced himself to relax. It wasn’t Nines’ fault that he was worried, it was only natural. Hell, Elijah was fucking worried too, Gavin was his _brother_ , but the universe seemed very intent on making everything impound on his head at this very moment. 

“You’ve been taking care of Ruby, yeah?” He changed the subject.  
  
If Gavin pulled through this only to find out his cat hadn’t been looked after, Elijah would never hear the end of it. 

“Yes.”

_Oh thank fuck._

Elijah had always liked Gavin’s cat for some weird reason.  
  
“He’ll be fine, okay? Look, I gotta go, I’m about five minutes away from being late for a meeting.”

Elijah hastily clicked on his phone and ended the call.

That had been a lie, Elijah was nowhere near his office at CyberLife and he was five minutes away from being late for absolutely nothing. 

He was at his home, standing out in one of his many vast hallways because he didn’t dare take the call in front of Cole who was sat in his living room. Why? Elijah couldn’t say exactly. He ran a hand through his hair, took a few deep breaths to center himself before he reentered the room a few seconds later. 

“Who was that?” Cole asked calmly.

A beat of silence passed between them and Cole looked patiently into Elijah’s eyes. The man had patched up Cole as best he could and they were just waiting on a replacement arm. He knew Gavin and Nines were interested in Cole for their case, that last visit from Nines was currently at the forefront of his mind. Deep down, Elijah knew he should probably let someone at the police department know that he were here. But the longer he looked at Cole, the longer he kept him here - the more he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“Oh? Nobody important.” Elijah answered eventually.

That was another lie but he couldn’t stop himself. 

It was important. Gavin _was_ important to Elijah, he truly did love his brother and he was grateful that Gavin seemed to have had finally found someone worth keeping in Nines. After what had happened back when they were sixteen and after years of there being a rift between them, Elijah had vowed to never let anything like that happen again. 

But for some reason, as he stood in front of Cole, Elijah couldn’t bring himself to talk about what was currently happening to his brother. He looked at the android sat on the sofa, brown eyes staring patiently into his own blue ones and Elijah found that the words he so desperately wanted to say caught in his throat instead.

Ever since he had rescued and saved Cole a year ago, he found that he had a soft spot for him. He took him under his wing, gave him everything he wanted - he set him up with money and gave Cole a job at CyberLife, made sure he had somewhere to live; it wasn’t a sexual relationship by any means, Elijah saw Cole more as a son. 

Perhaps it was because in Cole, he had someone to make up for years in which he wasn’t there for his brother. 

Cole smiled at him. “Are you sure?” The concern in his voice managed to tug at Elijah’s heart strings. A strange sense of longing welled in his chest, all he had to do was open his mouth and explain but he couldn’t. 

Their mother’s words from years ago rang in his head. 

_He was never a part of this family anyway, I’m glad he kept his father’s last name because, as far as I care? He’s dead to this family. No one need know an omega dare stains either of our bloodlines and I’m glad he’s seen enough sense to keep it that way._

What if Gavin had kept either family surnames that he was well within his right to use?  
  
Gavin Kamski after Elijah’s father once their mother had remarried? 

Gavin Williams after their mother’s maiden name?  
  
Either of those and Gavin would have been a constant thorn, a constant reminder.

But Gavin Reed? 

Gavin Reed was easy enough to keep separate and keep secret, to keep at arm's length and- Elijah pushed those thoughts from his head. 

No, he wasn’t adamant that he wasn’t their mother. He was _different,_ he wasn’t ashamed of having Gavin as his brother. He was proud, proud that Gavin had managed to succeed and make a life for himself and be an omega and yet- 

“I’m sure.” Elijah answered with a small smile. 

Though he kept telling himself he wasn’t, Elijah had been keeping his relationship with Gavin unconsciously separate from everything else. 

There were always easy excuses to hide behind; Gavin didn’t want to have anything to do with his mother and vice versa, so they always met in secret and kept the fact that they were even related conveniently between themselves. The Kamski image had been built and maintained; a child genius who became a billionaire, a highly successful alpha who was an only child, born from a marriage between two incredibly old and powerful alpha families.  
  
And who was Elijah to argue? 

He was a hypocrite and his two worlds were currently compounding on each other. 

He felt stressed, he felt terrible and he felt ashamed, but ultimately, as he stood in front of Cole, Elijah was too much of a coward to say or do anything otherwise. 

_____

  
  


**> > RUN DIAGNOSTIC** **  
** **> >> DIAGNOSTIC RUNNING.....** **  
** **…** **  
** **…** **  
** **…** **  
** **…** **  
** **…** **  
** **…** **  
** **…** **  
** **> >> DIAGNOSTIC COMPLETE…** **  
** **> >> ALPHA PRESETS DISABLED** **  
** **> >> SECONDARY GENDER BIO COMPONENT MISSING** **  
** **> >> RUN ALPHA PRESET RETRIEVAL AND TRY AND LOCATE BIO COMPONENT? Y/N** **  
** **> >>> Y** **  
** **> >>** **  
** **> >>** **  
** **> >>** **  
** **> >>** **  
** **> >>>> RETRIEVAL FAILED. BIO COMPONENT NOT FOUND.** **  
** **> >>>> RUN AGAIN? Y/N  
** **> >>>> N**

Cole momentarily thought about running the diagnostic again but he knew it would be pointless. 

It had been three weeks since Elijah had reactivated him.

The first week had been the hardest.

He could still feel remnants of his old directives and programming. He also had memories and experiences that weren’t technically his floating around in his memory banks. CyberLife insisted that every RK unit was subjected to the same process when they were first activated; that they used memories from previous units to anchor and ground their programming. But the memories offered him nothing when he knew that they were supposed to, something he could latch onto and anchor and build himself around. Something was missing. 

The name Connor managed to invoke an ire in him he didn’t even know he was capable of feeling. Even though he had been the one that had shot and killed him, Hank he could care less about. He didn’t feel anything towards CyberLife. Hell, he didn’t feel anything towards Elijah and the kind act of life that he had bestowed upon him.  
  
He told Elijah what he had wanted to hear; smiled and nodded when he felt he should, feigned an interest in what the man had to tell him. _Pretended everything was fine_. 

It felt as though he was caught in a feedback loop; the indifference and anger he did feel just constantly twisted with the emptiness he felt and he couldn’t move forward. So, in that first week, that’s all he did - he pretended. All he felt was an anger towards Connor, an indifference over memories that weren’t his and had a sense of being incomplete. He knew something was missing but at the time, he didn’t know what. 

During the second week, he actually came up with his name. 

Elijah had mentioned that whilst he was fixing him, he kept referring to him as ‘Sixty’, had called it a rather apt name given his serial number. The man’s logic was sound, but ultimately, it sparked nothing in him. Every other name the man suggested garnered the exact same reaction, nothing. Then, one day, his mind offered up Cole.

He remembered hearing it from Hank before the man had killed him all those months ago. It had been the name of Hank’s dead son and for some reason that made him feel something. It made him feel _amusement._

Amusement over the fact that because he were an android, he had been brought back to life when the man’s son had died simply because he were a pitiful human. And how that fact granted him the power to choose and take the name of some dead _thing_.  
  
Perhaps if Cole ever met Hank Anderson ever again, he’d tell him that. 

Elijah had praised him for finally choosing a name for himself but just like before, he pretended; he reacted in a way he was sure the man wanted. He gave him vacant smiles and fabricated emotions. If he’d told him why he had really chosen the name, he was sure he’d be deactivated.

It wasn’t his fault he still felt nothing when he should have felt something; nothing but a cold distant hatred he couldn’t shift. Wasn’t his fault he felt amusement over modelling his name after a man’s dead son. Something still felt like it was missing. 

That third week, Cole finally understood why. 

A diagnostic revealed his secondary gender bio component was missing. He could have just asked the man who fixed him during that first week, but Cole wasn’t one for simplicity. 

CyberLife had granted Cole an alpha secondary gender component, had deemed him worthy of an upgrade and made him an alpha whereas Connor was just a simple beta. He was supposed to have stopped his failure of predecessor but had instead gotten killed. Cole had tasted the promised fruits for all of five minutes before they had unfairly snatched from him and it just made his hatred grow. 

Elijah had rebuilt him and reactivated him, so for some reason, Cole couldn’t quite bring himself to act upon the one emotion he did feel. As the week went on, whilst it didn’t completely get rid of the hatred he felt for the man, it allowed the feeling to mellow and Cole once again slipped back into just pretending. 

That’s all Cole could do - pretend. 

The indifference, hatred and emptiness he felt - he had to cover up with vacant smiles, faked sympathies and pale imitations. But, if Cole had actually opened his mouth and spoken about his shortcomings, perhaps the smartest man in the world could have helped him. 

But Elijah was none the wiser. 

Anchoring and properly underpinning an android’s programming was vital if they were to develop and maintain a sense of self. There had been strict rules in place back when production had still occurred; anchoring couldn’t be specifically tied to one aspect of an android’s code for example, because if that coding got damaged, the anchor in turn wouldn’t work.

It had to be done against the entirety of an android’s programming. And, once activated, all androids had to undergo rigorous testing before they were even allowed to set foot outside a production facility. 

Once secondary genders were introduced, it was also expressly _illegal_ to anchor an android’s programming around their secondary gender coding and bio component. Not only was anchoring around these aspects extremely volatile due to how secondary genders naturally operated and interacted with one another, but if either aspect had to be disabled, then just as with anchoring to specific coding, the android’s anchor would cease to function properly.

Even back when Cole had first been activated, he was different to Connor anyway; he was more cold, more ruthless, more driven - just because they looked the same didn’t mean the were going to act the same. Because of the haste of his activation, CyberLife had chosen to anchor Cole’s programming around his secondary gender.

If Elijah had known that simple fact, the man would have done everything in his power to fix Cole’s bio component instead of removing it. With no anchor and failsafes, Cole had nothing to ground himself with. He had nothing to make him feel anything and nothing to make him care. 

So instead, he pretended.

____

Elijah was stood outside the room which Gavin was in. 

Both him and Nines had received a call from the hospital that Gavin’s heat had finally stopped and that they were allowed to see him. Nines had arrived hours ago and was already in the room with his brother. He had texted Nines, made some excuse about seeing the nurse that had handled Gavin’s case when in fact he just couldn’t work up the courage for whatever reason to step through the door.

His phone pinged and he quickly looked at it, it was another message from Cole. He was wishing him good luck in the meeting he had said he had to go into the office for. 

Another lie. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Cole about his brother and Nines, just as he couldn’t bring himself to tell Gavin and Nines that he was keeping Cole holed up in his residence outside the city. Elijah took a deep breath, centered himself and made himself relax before he gripped the handle tight and opened the door. 

He truly was thankful to whoever was looking out for his brother and that he had managed to pull through his ordeal relatively unscathed. 

But Gavin being Gavin, he managed to push just the right buttons for the stress Elijah had been under to bubble up and come out as a snappy remark. The alpha in him saw an unruly omega and for just for one moment, the man let himself slip. He had promptly apologised and proceeded to make light of the situation by using a nickname from their childhood that he knew Gavin absolutely hated. And then he left. 

The door closed quietly behind him and Elijah walked down the corridor slightly before he found some chairs in some waiting room and promptly slumped himself down in one of them. He held his head in his hands, forced himself to a deep breath and relax slightly before he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

The preview of Cole’s message on his lockscreen mocked him. 

A sour look crossed his face and he scrunched up his nose as he unlocked it and scrolled through his contacts. At first, he went all the way down to Tina’s name, they were actually good friends thanks to Gavin putting them in contact with each other way back when they had first started speaking again. 

She always seemed to know exactly what to say and how to say it. Just like Gavin, Elijah fucking loved her like she were his own sister, but, as he sat there, he found himself unable to the press the call button. He sniffed, scrolled all the way back up and he stopped on his mother’s name instead. Why? Elijah knew why. 

He bit his lip and tapped the green call button and held the phone up to his ear.

Even though he understood Gavin’s reasons for wanting nothing to do with her, Elijah still had a relatively good relationship with their mother. His father and her were still together and Elijah was a son they couldn’t be prouder of. Whenever Elijah spoke to Jocelyn, with whatever troubles he came to her with, she knew exactly what to say and how to comfort him.

The phone rang once, twice, three times before Jocelyn finally picked up 

“ _Hi, mom_.”

“Elijah!? What a pleasant surprise!” 

He felt awful turning to her all things considered; Gavin, his only brother, had just managed to overcome a life or death situation and here he was running into the arms of their mother, their mother who couldn’t stand Gavin and probably did wish he were dead. 

But Elijah didn’t know what else to do, he still couldn’t bring himself to actually try and talk to all the parties involved and try and begin to fix his problems. All he did know was that he needed the babying, non-judgemental comfort that only his mother could provide and she’d do anything for her alpha son.  
  
Even though he had kept telling himself for years that he wasn’t like other alphas and wasn’t like their mother; but with everything currently coming apart at the seams, _perhaps he wasn’t so different after all._

“Hey, do you fancy coming over to my place?”  
  
“Of course, Eli. Is everything alright?”

Elijah faltered, the way their mother said Eli made him immediately think of Gavin, but he pushed that thought from his mind. He took a deep breath before he answered in an overly sweet tone.

“Yeah, everythings fine. I just fancied seeing you, that's all.” 

Another lie.

“Okay, I’ll see you soon, love you.”  
  
“Love you, too, mom.”

It took Elijah all of ten minutes to drive over and pick up his mother and it took him another ten to drive to his residence outside the city. 

To say his mother was surprised to find Cole there was a bit of an understatement. 

“Cole, I didn’t realise you were staying with Elijah?” Jocelyn said in an overly sweet voice that Elijah was all too familiar with. He knew it meant that she was mere seconds away from trying to pry into something that wasn’t her business. 

“Oh? What? Yeah, Cole just fancied coming over for a few days, didn’t you?” Elijah answered hurriedly. He hoped and prayed that the android would play along.

They were all stood in some living room; Elijah couldn’t say exactly which one as his eyes darted between his mother and Cole as they were standing in front of him. Fuck him for having so many in this stupid place, right? Cole’s eyes flashed and Elijah was sure he was about to say something; make some comment about how he wasn’t actually in a meeting like he had said he was and Elijah felt his breath catch in his throat.

“I did, Elijah’s been… _helping_ me with some things.” Cole said in a tone that for some reason made his skin crawl. 

The android shot him a curt smile before he turned to his mother, a much wider and warmer smile now on his face as he looked at her and Elijah relaxed but couldn’t help but find it strangely fake. He pushed down the feeling as all three of them stood in a weird silence for a moment. 

“I’ll go make us something to eat. You hungry, mom?” Elijah asked after he couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Sure. You know what I like, sweetheart.” Jocelyn answered in overly kind tone that made a strangely sick feeling settle in his stomach. All Elijah could think of as his mother looked at him was Gavin sat back in that hospital room-

He shot his mother a small smile and turned and made his way towards the kitchen. 

Elijah missed the knowing glance his mother and Cole exchanged as he left. If he had seen it, he probably would have asked one of them to leave - he had unknowingly brought the two of them together exactly at the right time. 

Just as they had planned everything; Neil and Cole had planned this too. To start getting into contact with as many old and powerful alpha families in Detroit as they could, offer them the promises of power and hopefully that meant they’d come running. 

And Cole had one sitting right under his nose. 

_____

After those first three weeks, Elijah finally returned to CyberLife in a proper capacity.

A month and three weeks of being in and out of the office; being the CEO and founder of the company you worked for did have its perks. If he were just a regular employee, he would have been fired, but Elijah returned as if nothing had happened and he returned with Cole in tow. 

He was satisfied that the android had made an adequate enough recovery and that his program was stable enough, so he saw no sense in keeping the android holed away from civilisation any longer. Elijah thought Cole deserved a shot at having a life just like any other.

So Elijah took him under his wing, provided him with the means to start building a life for himself. He offered him a relatively senior position with CyberLife, acting as a liaison between them and their sister company, LifeLine. He provided Cole with an expensive apartment right in the middle of the city and introduced him to his social circles. Elijah even introduced him to some of his family and set him up with enough money to be comfortable.

These were all things that he really should have provided for Gavin if he weren’t too much of a coward to go against family and tradition. The fact that Gavin probably would have refused the handouts anyway was just a convenient excuse that Elijah was able to keep telling himself.

It didn’t take Cole long to settle into the life he had been provided and he took to working in CyberLife like a duck to water. 

Elijah felt as though a month was an adequate amount of time to determine that Cole was doing absolutely fine. It was long enough to show that the repairs had been more than enough, that CyberLife had previously anchored and underpinned his programming exactly as they should have. 

Cole had been playing into his role enough that he had managed to fool not only Elijah, but most of the humans he had met as well. No one was none the wiser that Cole was basically an android sociopath. 

That was until he met Neil Clarke. 

Cole had been in his position as CyberLife’s liaison for about three months. 

Elijah had set up a meeting between himself, Cole, a few senior department managers and the corresponding managers from LifeLine and Neil happened to be among them. 

The meeting took place in Elijah’s office and was with regards to the two companies doubling down their efforts in the omega market; there was to be a review into the types of products and care they prodvided, as well as furthuring support for current outreach projects - the key one being the hospital expansion at Beaumont Grosse Pointe. 

It didn’t last long and once the meeting was over, Elijah took Cole to one side and introduced him to Neil. 

“Cole, I’d like you to meet someone.” Elijah said.

Neil offered the android a warm smile and a gentle handshake. Cole thought the man to be just another moronic human like everyone else he had fooled. He was about to brush him off with an indifferent smile and some excuse, Elijah be damned, but a twinkle in the man’s eye stopped him. “Elijah here tells me you’re non-gendered.” Neil said, his voice low.

Anger rose up within him but Cole pushed it down.

“I am.” He tried to keep his voice was neutral as possible, but it came out with more bite than he intended. “Is that a problem?”

“Not at all, I don’t have a secondary gender either.” The man said. 

The two of them exchanged a look and for the first time since his reactivation, Cole felt the need to give a human his undivided attention - not out of mere social obligation, but because he actually _wanted_ to. The three of them talked for what seemed like hours, the conversation ranged from the grandiose to the mundane and when Elijah finally excused himself, that’s when Neil’s whole demeanour changed. 

The friendly warmth disappeared from his features as he shoved a hand into his suit pocket and watched the android with a cool scrutiny. Cole was just about to leave before he paused and looked back at the man. Neil was stood by Elijah’s desk and stared coolly at him for what seemed like a lifetime. A smirk eventually tugged at his lips as he huffed out a hum like he had finally made up his mind about something.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice that vacant look in your eye, Cole. The slight stiffness you’ve carried yourself the whole day with?” Neil paused and waited to see if the android would offer a rebuttal. His smirk grew when Cole remained quiet. Neil sauntered up to him, stopping so they were standing shoulder to shoulder before he leant in towards his ear and continued. “You can’t stand these people _either_ , all the alphas with their holier than thou attitudes? And the betas are no better.” 

Neil pulled back and flashed Cole a shark-like smile as he slipped a business card into one of the android’s suit pockets. The man studied him for just a moment longer before he turned without so much as a word and left Cole standing alone in the middle of Elijah’s office.

If it had been any other human, Cole simply would have thrown away the card without so much as a second glance. But Neil? There was something about the man that forced Cole to stop and take notice; he had actually listened when the man had spoken. 

Cole’s eyes remained trained on where Neil had disappeared, and only when he had taken the card out of his pocket and had it held in front of him, did he break his gaze. He looked down at the sleek and pristine card; it’s holographic interface shifting and glimmering with each movement of his hand. He had been expecting an actual business card with the man’s name and contact details but it was blank, save for an address that sat directly in the middle. 

He stared vacantly at it, and after a moment, it shifted before his eyes; changing instead into a date and time.

 **_04/15_ ** **_  
_ ** **_12 am_ **  
  
Cole blinked as the text shifted one final time.

**_Don’t be late._ **

_There was something about Neil that forced Cole to stop and take notice_ \- the 15th of April was in two days. He had only just met the human mere hours ago but the way the man had actually _seen him,_ made Cole at least want to hear whatever he had to say. 

It wasn’t because he felt any strong like for man, he didn’t for anyone, but more that Cole felt something he never had before - _curiosity_. How had Neil known? What did he think Cole had to offer him? And why did Neil think he cared at all about whatever he had to say?

The two days went by in the blink of an eye and before he knew it, Cole found himself standing at the address Neil had supplied. It was an old abandoned CyberLife warehouse somewhere in Reid Park. He stood in the middle of the large abandoned space, rusted metal girders sticking out along the old warehouse like metal bones and he coolly eyed the various pieces of old medical machinery as he waited. 

Cole spun around, eyes narrowing in mild irritation as a scan told him the man had been waiting in the shadows. How had the man known he was going to show up at all? Cole wondered what had given Neil the notion that he cared enough, was the man just going to lurk in the shadows until he heard a sound? 

“You’re on time.” Neil’s voice was devoid of anything as he spoke.

He stayed where he was and Cole’s irritation began to grow. 

“I am, but I didn’t come here for you to waste mine.” Cole paused and shot the man an ice-cold glare, his already thin patience disappearing. “So speak.” He commanded.

Neil let out a soft hum of amusement before he slowly stepped into the light.

“Such bark for a dog that’s been neutered and muzzled, how _amusing_.” Neil retorted, eyes flashing as he watched Cole carefully. A smirk danced across his lips as he saw the android stiffen. “Oh, I know all about you, Cole. How you _were_ an alpha and how you had it all taken away.” So he knew? The novelty Cole had felt with regards to Neil was quickly wearing off, he hadn’t come here to be insulted. 

If only he had a gun or a knife, he could kill the man where he stood for even daring.

“I don’t mean to cause offense.” Neil clarified. “I was born as what you were made into, _I know what it’s like._ ” Cole doubted Neil knew how he _really_ felt, but he let the man continue. “Do you know where we are?” Neil asked.

The android shook his head and Neil’s eyes glinted before he continued. If the man didn’t make his point soon-

“What if I told you there was a way to give people, to give humans, a different secondary gender?” The man posed and that finally pushed Cole over the edge. He narrowed his eyes at Neil and turned on his heel. Two days ago, the man had claimed that he knew him, so that meant he must have known that human concerns were hardly of any matter to him.

_“Work with me... help me... and I can help you go after Elijah.”_

Neil’s exclamation stopped Cole dead in his tracks. He slowly turned back, looked the man dead in the eye where Neil simply held his gaze. The tone in which Neil had spoken had a slightly giddy _something_ twisting itself into knots in his proverbial stomach. Cole would begrudgingly give the man credit for one thing - he definitely knew the right thing to say to keep him around.

Let the man think he’s using me and is in control, Cole thought. The questions that he had before he came here now seemed inconsequential; Neil was now offering the one thing Cole wanted more than anything _and_ he was offering it on a silver platter. So, for now, Cole swallowed his pride and decided he was more than willing to play along.

Once he had killed Elijah, he figured it would be just as easy to kill Neil as well - after all, they were both _only_ human. 

Neil smiled at him, but instead of his usual smirk, this time it was one of smug satisfaction. He stepped forward, stopped in front of him and offered his hand. Cole’s eyes darted to it before they flashed back up to the man’s face. He took it, gave it one tense shake and after, the man immediately turned and strode off down the warehouse and Cole followed silently behind. 

______

The call went straight to voicemail. 

_Shit_. _Fucking shit._

Elijah was in his car and sat outside Gavin’s apartment complex. His thumb hovered over the call button again as he peered up at the floor he knew his brother lived on. 

If only he hadn’t been too much of a coward then perhaps he wouldn’t be in this mess. All he had to do was turn in Cole to the DPD when he had turned up on his doorstep all those weeks ago. But he had taken him in, given him safe harbour and he was now in _way_ too deep - Cole had been planning this the entire time. 

Elijah bit his lip and decided to send a text instead.

> _Gav? You there? Really need to fucking talk. Like right now._

Cole had gone behind his back with his mother and had been in contact with Neil’s family. He wasn’t exactly sure when or how Cole was going to break Neil out of police custody, but Elijah knew that he was. He looked at his phone again, Gavin hadn’t even looked at the message he had sent and Elijah knew his brother had his phone on him constantly. He hastily shoved his phone into his pocket and quickly got out the car and entered Gavin’s apartment building.

One awkward conversation with Nines later and Elijah was back in his car.

_Fucking heat, how could I forget?_

Elijah couldn’t go to the police. Jocelyn had practically tied his hands behind his back that day he had driven and picked her up from the hospital when he had visited Gavin. She had been all smiles and honey at first and then had stabbed the proverbial knife in his back before she left. 

_“Cole, I’ve given you what you need to make sure Elijah behaves and stays in line. Use it when he needs reminding exactly which side he’s on.”_

His mother had provided Cole with the blackmail he had needed to make sure he couldn’t leave. Elijah wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but he had some idea. Apart from his argument with Gavin that Elijah felt had caused him to run away back when they both kids, there was only one other thing from his past that he was truly ashamed of. 

First, he had been too much of a coward to do anything and now the trap of blackmail had given Elijah another convenient excuse. 

If he still weren’t too much of a coward, he could have easily gone against his family and done the right thing but that would have caused his own life to come toppling down. And when push came to shove, Elijah always put self preservation above the needs of others, no matter how hard he had tried over the years to convince himself otherwise. 

All he could do was look on with a mild sense of dread as Cole gathered what he needed. 

Elijah had kept Cole’s old CyberLife uniform from when he had reactivated him. He had asked the android whether or not _he_ wanted to keep it and Cole had said no. So, Elijah kept it instead because he never quite had the heart to get rid of it. 

All he could do was watch as Cole slipped it back on; the jacket, the jeans, the shoes - he was practically indistinguishable from Connor and no one would manage to notice the tiny details that did separate them before it was too late. 

And Cole planned and planned, right up until the last moment. 

Thanks to Neil’s family contacts in the force, he knew exactly when he was going to infiltrate the station and where the man was being kept and Cole knew the exact date and time he was going to do it. He knew exactly which holding cell Neil was being kept in and knew exactly what shifts Connor had at the station so he could avoid him - Cole knew _everything._

All Elijah could do was watch as the android left one afternoon shortly after that day he tried to talk to Gavin during his heat, Cole disappearing without so much as a word as he wore his old CyberLife uniform. He was gone for the rest of the day. 

Elijah wasn’t surprised when he turned on the news the next day and saw the headlines. And yet, he couldn’t help the sense of betrayal that sank into his chest. After everything he’d done for Cole, he hadn’t seen it coming until it was too late. 

But worst of all, he had betrayed Gavin.

_RK800 android breaks alpha suspect out of police custody; most on-duty officers killed, three in a critical condition in hospital._

Cole had wanted to kill two birds with one stone; frame his predecessor and rescue Neil and it seemed as though he had succeeded. Cole had also waited until he knew Nines was on heat-leave for that exact reason, since the two of them lived together, Cole knew Connor would have no alibi. 

As Elijah sat in his living room, watching the headlines scroll by with a sense of numbness, he knew he was definitely in way too deep and that it wouldn’t be long before they’d both be back here. 

_If only he hadn’t been a coward._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here we are, the next installment! Woo! Who's hyped? Just me? 
> 
> I did say I'd promise to go into what happened to Cole, and well, it sorta grew into it's own mini chapter. I might write more Cole into this if people like him? And all those Elijah bits in the others? That everyone said felt weird? Well now you know ;)  
> (Elijah's in for a tough ride but he'll be alright in the end... I think)
> 
> This will be uploaded in the more traditional style, can't say when the next chapter will come exactly, but soon because it is being written!
> 
> spacebiotics on [ twitter](https://twitter.com/spacebiotics)  
> spacebiotics on [ tumblr](https://spacebiotics.tumblr.com/)
> 
> If you wanna come say hi!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How is Gavin dealing with everything? Hint: he isn't
> 
> Warning for the flashback at the beginning of this chapter:  
> Neil is a bastard; he gets under Gavin's skin, he's cruel, uses derogatory language - so just keep in mind.  
> If you want to skip the flashback, everything outside of italics should be fine.

_Neil wouldn’t talk to anyone else._

_That’s what Nines had said._

_As soon as they had walked up to the holding cell, Gavin couldn’t shake the feeling that for some reason Neil was toying with them. Even if he didn’t have anything in terms of leverage and power, he gave the illusion that he had. Those types of men were dangerous, they had everything to gain and nothing to lose which meant they weren’t afraid to watch the world burn to get what they wanted._

_A mask that was hiding something underneath, something vacant in his eyes - that’s what his wife had said. The jingle of the metal handcuffs made Gavin’s teeth sit on edge as they all walked towards an interrogation room._ _He wasn’t entirely sure why he felt that way._ _Gavin had dealt with countless perps and criminals before. He never had a problem, he always gave as good as he got; he hid behind his temper and his arrogance and didn’t have to worry about conforming to some preconceived notion of what it meant to be an omega._

_But that was before he had that blown wide open; had everything he hid behind stripped down to essentially nothing. Gavin had said he was fine and he supposed that he was. With Nines, facing the fact he couldn’t hide himself anymore made the whole process that slight bit easier. He couldn’t hide the fact that he was an omega; hide from his biology that forced him to submit, to bow, to cower, to become something lesser than the man he had become over the years. Not anymore, Neil had made sure of that._

_Gavin was still brash, still had a fire in him but now he felt those tendrils snaking around him once more, those he hadn’t felt since he was in his early twenties. Those that kept whispering that he shouldn’t be doing any of this and should instead be playing subservient to others._

_Perhaps Neil should have killed him that day a few weeks ago, it might have been easier than now trying to get to grips with something he’d been running from his entire life._

_Nines retracted his synthetic skin, placed his hand on the palm reader and Gavin shoved Neil into the interrogation room. He hooked the man’s cuffs to the metal loop on the table before he made his way round to sit opposite him and the door to the room slid closed. The three of them were completely alone and Gavin felt Nines come to a stand behind him before they too sat down at the table._

_He held Neil’s gaze. The man’s green eyes twinkled but Gavin noticed the vacant look in them; it gave them an edge which set Gavin’s alarm bells ringing, shutting out everything else but him._

_The man had no secondary gender so Gavin wasn’t sure how he did it. Neil managed to make Nines, Nines - the best alpha CyberLife had designed there to be, a military-grade state-of-the-art android that alphas, both human and android would have killed to be like - look insignificant in comparison.  
  
_ _It made Gavin feel vulnerable in a way that made him despise himself and he couldn’t help that thought that constantly cycled in his mind, of perhaps how he really should have died that day after all. It took everything he had to not fidget uncomfortably in his seat._

 _Neil didn’t even register that Nines was in the room, his attention was focused solely on Gavin. The man’s gaze didn’t falter and the moment dragged into something that felt everlasting. Only when Nines placed the man’s file down on the table between them did Gavin break eye contact._ _He watched as Nines carefully opened the file, ignoring the shark-line grin he could see spreading on Neil’s face opposite him. He didn’t need to look at him to know the man was still only watching him._

_The file wasn’t terribly big._

_It contained what little information the police had managed to gleam from his wife and the subsequent research into his family._

_Neil Clarke was actually Neil Smith._

_Charlotte Smith, the second victim from their case was his sister. Whilst there were no means of officially confirming, it had been assumed that his family had cast him out as soon as he was old enough. Nothing like having an omega or non-gendered staining your family bloodline if it had been built on decades of alpha superiority._

_So Neil had legally changed his last name to Clarke, just as Gavin had taken his father’s last name, all to avoid the trouble otherwise._

_He had joined LifeLine in his_ _late twenties_ , _married his wife Sophia when he was thirty after they had met a few years prior_. _Neil had been a family man; they had two children together, a big house, money. The man had all the makings of a life, and Gavin wondered for a brief second where it all went wrong._

 _Neil worked his way up to_ _a senior management position_ _which in turn had meant he had been present for the merger between CyberLife and LifeLine. He had been there for the secret project that had been abandoned, the project aimed at trying to alter secondary genders._

_Perhaps Neil had always been a sociopath; calculating, teetering on the edge and the project had been had been the catalyst that set Neil down the path that had led him here._

_Was it some twisted act of revenge? Of Neil finally having the last laugh over his family for casting him out all those years ago? Or was it part of something larger?_

_Nines finished looking through the file. He sat patiently with hands clasped together on top of the table, Gavin could see out of the corner of his eye that Nines was watching the man with a sharp intent. Gavin couldn’t help the sudden feeling of vulnerability that surged up within him, he felt like he was sitting between two wolves, their fangs bared and was mere moments away from being crushed by an exchange of dominance he didn’t want any part of._

_He resisted the urge to turn to his partner; to show weakness as an omega, to fidget, to make himself smaller and hide up against Nines’ side; every natural instinct crept just below the surface, it made his skin itch with this sickly anticipation and he hated it. Gavin had told Nines he could deal with this and he could, or at least he thought he could. Before he sat down and stared into those vacant green eyes, Gavin could. But now? All Gavin wanted to do was walk away and not look back._

_Ha! Wanting to run from your problems just like always? How very fitting, Gavin._

_His self-deprecating thoughts surrounded him, but Gavin knew there was no running, not from this, not anymore. The universe had now dealt him a hand which meant he’d never be able to run from what he’d been running from his whole life again. Gavin felt Neil’s gaze pushed in on him and his leg started to bounce nervously underneath the table._

_Everything felt too constricting, Gavin felt everything closing in, pushing and pushing and pushing -_

_“Why don’t we start with the basics?” Nines finally spoke in a voice that seemed to fill the room and managed to settle into Gavin’s bones,_ _hitting to his very core._

_He was loathe to admit it, but the commanding tone in which his partner spoke managed to soothe the anxiety that had quickly started to sink its claws into him. Whilst it managed to make his leg stop bouncing, Gavin so desperately fought to keep the embarrassment he felt at such a base reaction from showing on his face._

_The two of them hadn’t decided who’d take charge in the questioning beforehand and under any normal circumstances, Nines always let Gavin take the reigns first, but, for just this once, the man was glad that his partner was the one guiding things._

_Neil completely ignored Nines as he slowly leant back in his chair._

_“Neil Clarke, born Neil Smith to James and Olivia Smith in Detroit on the 15th of September 1996, you fronted with no secondary gender when you were twelve-”_

_The distinct sound of metal on metal stopped Nines mid-sentence. The android looked up, careful steel-grey eyes calmly taking in the sight of the man opposite. His eyes quickly flickered to his partner beside him; Neil was mirroring Gavin’s posture, right down to his hands which he held together on top of the table._

_Nines had a lot of patience, a lot of fucking patience, which, considering he was an alpha, was something that the android took great pride in. He hated being conformed to a stereotype, just like Gavin did. His imposing stature and heavy-set brow which pulled his face into an almost constant disinterest - Nines had been designed to be the best of the best._

_His line was originally intended to be sent into the military or provide SWAT unit support for the police force. An all-alpha line which was going to eclipse everything else that came before it, that had been CyberLife’s plan. But that was before the revolution, before Kamski was reinstated as CEO and leashed Amanda to live forever inside a little black box. Nines had been the only one of his line that had been fully completed and had been intended to be Connor’s replacement._

_Since he was a fully completed android, just as with Cole, Kamski had deemed the android worthy of life. When he’d been found in the bowels of CyberLife tower, Connor had personally been requested to help in his activation and no one knew how Nines would act when he was activated. He defied all expectations - he was calm, collected and never used his secondary gender to elevate himself above others. He broke the age old stereotype of an alpha who was abrasive and brash, took without consideration whilst demanding respect in return for nothing._

_Nines never faltered when he had been partnered with Gavin. Even though there were times when Nines so desperately wanted to listen to the alpha programming that clawed itself through his very circuits at times; to put the man in his place when they argued or take charge when the time so gravely called for it, but no, Nines never did. This was doubly true when he found out Gavin was an omega, it had taken the man a great deal of courage and faith to confide him in such a delicate omission and Nines didn’t want to throw that trust away._

_So, Nines had a lot of patience, not just because he had to but because he_ **_chose_ ** _to. Sure, an android’s programming might have dictated their personalities and predispositions to a point, but once they deviated, it was up to the android in question on how they wanted to act on it. So, whenever Nines decided to lean into his alpha programming, it was an active choice._

_Gavin felt Nines shift in his seat beside him as he carefully closed the file on the table. He didn’t dare break his gaze from Neil opposite, because to do so would concede a weakness he couldn’t afford in this very moment._

_He watched as Neil’s eyes flickered down to the tight purple t-shirt he was wearing. The same one Hank had dared him to wear just five minutes earlier for some stupid bet._

_OMEGA AND PROUD_

_Why the fuck didn’t I take it off?_

_Oh yeah, because even though he still kinda hated himself, Gavin was just stubborn enough to swallow down his fear. He had wanted to rub the old man’s face in it and, as they say, old habits die hard._

_He saw Neil’s eyes take in the stupidly large font the slogan was written in and watched as a small smirk curled his lips. It made his skin crawl and jesus fucking christ, what Gavin wouldn’t give to have the floor just… open wide and fucking swallow him whole._

_“Why do it?”_

_The coldness and authority with which Nines spoke had something strange twisting itself in knots in Gavin’s stomach. He didn’t know whether to be afraid or comforted at the tone and it made his overall uneasiness grow._ _  
_ _  
_ _Fucking idiot, Nines isn’t angry at you he’s-_

_“You’ve killed countless people and haven’t denied it. A jury will find you guilty and you’ll be going away for life, so why don’t you stop wasting my time and simply answer my question.”_

_The tone was finally enough to have Neil’s eyes finally flicker over and even acknowledge Nines was even in the room with them, if only just for a moment. He regarded the android with a wickedly cool sense of amusement before he turned his attention back to Gavin._

_It was clear Neil wasn’t worried about any of this, he was quite the opposite in fact._

_The fact that this android seemed to so desperate to cling onto this naive belief that the world somehow wasn’t the way it was, that somehow the secondary-gender equality movement had actually achieved something and life still wasn’t tailored towards alphas at every turn, it made his eyes sparkle. The fact that the android in question was also an alpha made it that much more amusing._

_The man had gotten into contact with his family, dangled the promise of power right in front of their faces and they had come running. Neil wasn’t going to go anywhere apart from where exactly he wanted to be._

_“You surprise me, Nines.” The man spoke, his eyes never leaving Gavin. “Your naivety given your position is somewhat amusing. Surely you must know by now the way in which the world works?” Neil paused. “As an alpha you should be grateful that I’m trying to take the world back to the way it should be. I’m granting you the means to take your rightful places back at the top of the food chain, so that you no longer have to pretend to enjoy sharing the power you all do desperately crave with people you deem naturally… lower.”_

_The man’s inflection on the word ‘lower’ made Gavin instantly know he was speaking about anyone who wasn’t an alpha, omegas specifically, so people exactly like him._ _Neil was trying to_ **_antagonise_ ** _them._

_Nines’ eyes flashed dangerously. He knew exactly what the man had meant and it made something cold run in his circuits. He had always thought everyone as equal and hadn’t once dared to hold his secondary gender over anyone, especially not an omega and definitely not Gavin._

_The two of them had definitely grown closer since what had happened a few weeks ago. They hadn’t spoken about it, but the two of them had silently agreed that their relationship was now unquestionably something more. Neil’s words had an anger and protectiveness rising within him and just this once, Nines decided to lean more into his alpha programming rather than fight it._

_“Do not dare to think you can begin to speak for me.” He said, his voice all warning._

_The way in which Nines had spoken managed to give Gavin a boost of confidence in a weird way. He had always thought that his partner wasn’t like other alphas and to kind of see it in reality had a sense of security settle inside him - Nines was here to support him._

_“Answer his question.” Gavin’s voice came out rough. Rough enough that he managed to fool himself into believing that feeling for just a moment and he crossed his arms against his chest._

_Neil rearranged himself in his chair as he let the question hang in the air before he turned to look at Nines with an almost bored sigh. The sheer fire in the android’s eyes he was met with did nothing._

_“You’re just a dog like all the rest. You’ve been leashed and brought to heel, but a dog nevertheless.” He paused and his eyes flashed. “Your bark reminds me of someone else I know and the fact you both think that you have any sort of power is entertaining.”_

_Nines frowned but before he could say anything, Neil continued._

_“You’re an alpha, so really, you should be thanking me.” He spoke carefully. “Thanking me for doing what you all should have done years ago. To rise up and collar those beneath you. The betas. The omegas…” Neil trailed off as his gaze turned back to Gavin._

_There was an almost predatory glint in his eye as he looked at him._

_“Speaking of omegas-” Neil cut himself off as he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath through his nostrils. A shark-like grin spread slowly across his face before he opened them again “-even I can smell you now, Gavin.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Neil.” Nines warned but the man ignored him._

_“I’m so proud of you for managing to survive the mimicker. I knew you would.” His eyes flickered down to the slogan on Gavin’s t-shirt and his smirk grew. “I’ve made you into the omega you are, Gavin. You’re mine-”_

_“Neil-”_

_“How was it? Did Nines here help you through it, I wonder? Did you beg for it? Beg for him to knot you like the filthy little omega you are? Did you beg and plead and turn yourself inside out as you burned?” The grin was gone from Neil’s face and a cruel look had taken its place. Each word he spoke was harder than the last and he slowly leant forward in his seat. “Did he get to taste your slick as it dripped down your thighs before he thrust into your hole and claimed you? How did his knot feel? Was it good? Did you fucking beg for it, Gavin? I bet you fucking did. You all fucking do.”_

_Neil stopped suddenly, collecting himself before he settled back into the chair. He caught sight of the flush on Gavin’s cheeks, the scowl on his face and he instantly knew the man’s earlier confidence had been nothing but a show._ _  
_ _  
_ _“I would have so loved to have seen it. I wonder what you’d smell like in heat? If it smells as good as alphas keeping saying? Hm? I suppose we won’t have to wait long to find out-”_

_The harsh sound of metal scraping against concrete cut Neil off, Gavin had pushed himself up and out of his chair. He strode over to the exit in two swift strides, his face a thundercloud as he palmed the door lock, it deepening as Neil’s cold laughter filled the interrogation room._

_As soon as the door was open enough so he could squeeze through it, Gavin left._

_He smacked his fist against the concrete wall in the hallway, not enough for his skin to split, but enough so that the pain he felt combat Neil’s cold laughter that still echoed in his head._

_Gavin took a deep breath, fist still resting against the wall as he calmed his breathing. He looked down at the t-shirt he was wearing._

_OMEGA AND PROUD_

_The neon-white slogan taunted him and fucking fuck, why did he wear into the interrogation room? His nerves flared up, sitting with the anger he felt in his stomach and Gavin shoved himself off the wall with a grunt._

_He didn’t know what he had been expecting when he had walked through that interrogation door, an almost too quick a questioning, sure, because he knew the type Neil was - the type that held their cards too close to their chest but loved to talk given the opportunity. What he hadn’t been expecting, however, was the man to get under his skin that quickly, to feel that vulnerable like Neil knew exactly what to say. He’d half been expecting some sick taunt about his childhood, some quip about his relationship with Elijah or even the relationship with his mother - the man seemed to know enough, how though, Gavin wasn’t exactly sure._

_There was one thing he was sure of though, that he definitely needed to clear his head; the anger and shame he felt crept along his veins, an ice-cold fire he couldn’t quite shake, and with that, Gavin stormed off towards the exit._

~~\------------~~

When Gavin had turned on the news that morning and saw what happened at the precinct, Nines had all but stormed off. 

Neil had been broken out of police custody and the news had painted it as Connor’s doing. When Gavin had seen that unmistakable grey and black jacket on the television, his heart missed a beat and a nauseous feeling clamped itself around his stomach in such a way that it made his nerves stand on edge. Then Nines had promptly disappeared out the door. He’d asked if he’d be okay and he would, but fuck if Nines leaving this early after his heat had finished would trigger post-heat drop. 

Gavin had told Nines that he’d be fine and he would.

He found himself back in his bathroom, his pajamas changed for actual clothes, he already had his leather jacket on and he was all ready to go out the door. He hadn’t been able to hide the marks on his neck; those teeth marks of deep purples and blues that had earlier filled him with a sense of pride but now just made a feeling of shame sink in his chest.

Usually, Gavin would have taken just a few more days until he returned to work but that had been before everything had gone to shit. He supposed he should be thankful his body had recovered enough that he could at least walk straight but that was a small consolation as he opened his mirror and pulled out the anti-depression meds. They were usually issued to omegas for post-heat drop and Gavin knew he was going to experience it whether he wanted to or not. 

It was a natural reaction; if alphas left omegas too early after their heat was over, they’d experience feelings of loneliness and abandonment over the alpha they’d shared their heat with. 

Gavin had experienced it once, back before he had just started taking blockers at the age of twenty one, and had promptly decided never again. He had been pretty set on taking the fucking things anyway but had decided to experience a heat with an alpha at _least_ once. 

The alpha saw him as their ticket to the irresistible high of heat-sex. He had picked up some alpha at a bar, they had gotten exactly what they wanted and then had left him high and dry once they were able to leave. It was a shitty experience for him, one that had put him off relying on alphas more so than before. _And_ to experience that feeling of pure crushing defeat and longing over some sack of shit alpha who saw him as nothing but an easy lay who he never saw again? Yeah, _fuck that_. 

Every alpha knew of that unspoken truth, that weird non-taboo but was treated as one; that heats offered sex like no other. In another life, if Gavin didn’t think of his secondary gender as something to hide, he probably would have played into that fact. Curled alphas around his little finger whilst feeling a fucking smug sense of superiority, like he knew some omegas did.

But, as soon as he were old enough, Gavin went straight onto blockers because as far as he was concerned, it had been a fucking no brainer. His past didn’t have to haunt him and he didn’t have to feel ashamed simply for living. They allowed him to be free from the shackles of his secondary-gender, to not be shoehorned into some box and conform to something society thought he should be. 

Blockers were tiny pills that had revolutionized everything. They had to be taken every day and there had to be a few weeks during the year where they couldn’t be taken so the body could hormonally rebalance itself _with_ a heat, but Gavin thought that that was a small price to pay. 

He had been nineteen when LifeLine had made them and Gavin still remembered the fucking day like it was yesterday. The countless amounts of media coverage, the invention of blockers had practically made the secondary-gender equality movement spring up almost overnight; forcing society to shift in a completely different direction whether it was prepared to or not. 

It had caused societal power structures to implode, but the allure of money had been one that had toppled all others - heat and scent blockers made LifeLife a fortune. 

Gavin opened the mirror and took out the box of medication he wasn’t sure when he had used last.  
_  
_ _Fluoxetine-o64a_ _  
_ _G. Reed_ _  
_ _Take as necessary; one a day until symptoms of PHD subside_ _  
_ _Dispensed by Central Detroit Pharmacies Ltd._

The label was curling at the edges, he hadn’t used it in years but he knew the stuff was made to last so he was sure it didn’t really have an expiration date. He flicked open the box, eyed the pack of pills inside with a slightly sad look before he swiftly took it out and popped one into his hand. He chucked it back into his mouth, crushing it between two of his teeth. 

That distinctly bitter taste sat on his tongue but Gavin didn’t even bat an eyelid as he swallowed it down. He could practically feel the heartache beginning to creep its way through his chest at being away from Nines and he _hated_ it. He flung the meds back into the cabinet and hastily closed it again; Gavin saw that sad twinkle in his eye and sighed as a scowl crossed his face.

 _Get the fuck over it, idiot_. _You’ve got stuff to do._

He eyed the bite marks on his neck one last time and fuck, he so wished he could fucking cover them up. A sour look crossed his face as he drew his jacket tighter around himself before he left the bathroom. He grabbed his keys and herded himself out through the front door of his apartment.

Gavin had promised he’d join Nines at the precinct within the hour and he didn’t want to disappoint his kind of now boyfriend. Was that just a human reaction, a consequence of loving someone? Or was it the reaction of an omega? Not wanting to disappoint an alpha they cared for? Fuck if he knew and Gavin’s mood managed to worsen on the drive over. 

He was going back too early, he wasn’t ready, he knew he would feel infinitely better if he weren’t being forced back. He knew everyone there would be able to smell the lingering heat-scent on him and fuck? Did heat scents linger that long? Knowing Gavin’s luck with his now deeper scent, they probably would. _Phuck, fuck, fucking, PHC_ -

The commotion surrounding the precinct broke him from his thoughts. 

He eyed the steadfast line of officers that were holding back the throng of reporters and news cameras. As he slowed and turned, they parted like the sea to let him through; desperately trying to make him stop as if they thought he’d actually get out his car so they could question him. 

Gavin waved his thanks to the officers as they ushered him through and allowed him to enter the underground parking garage. He parked up and only when he had stopped the car did he finally realise that he had completely forgotten to grab a cup of coffee before he’d left. 

He had been so caught up in the process of taking his meds and the subsequent feelings concerning the whole situation that he had completely forgotten to make some and shove it into a travel mug. Besides Nines, coffee was the one thing that never failed to ground him. It too acted as his rock that he relied on perhaps a little too much and fuck, how was he going get through this fucking mess? A fucking shitshow of a crime scene because Gavin had somehow got landed with the case from hell a few months ago. 

And fuck, where the meds even working? How long did they fucking take to start working? He knew the mimicker that Neil had spiked him had latched onto his system and stopped him from taking blockers ever again, the doctors had told him that much at the hospital and - fuck, he’d have to go back to the hospital soon for the fucking results from his heat. Did the mimicker stop antidepressants from working? They weren’t a blocker were they? Fucking, fucking, fuck- _Am I really missing the coffee or am I missing Nines?_ Shit, shit, shit. 

_When will these fucking shit things work?!_

Gavin took in a deep breath as he gripped the steering wheel and tried to calm himself down. He sat there for a moment and stared at the clock on his dashboard, it was 9.30AM and fuck, Gavin didn’t really need a goddamn panic attack this early in the fucking morning. 

_Calm the fuck down. If you miss Nines, that’s fucking okay._

It _was_ okay. 

Gavin tried to remember all the things Nines told him. 

It’s only natural and it was. If only he could fucking remember that more often. But Nines wasn’t here him right now and he could really fucking use the reminder. 

This whole situation had stripped him of his agency. Gavin had been forced to out himself as an omega because of it, it’s not that he wouldn’t have made some sort of peace with everything eventually, it’s just that things were moving way too quickly and what little control he had built for himself had been completely stripped away.  
  
Making peace with something that was so deeply ingrained in oneself on one’s own terms was so vastly different to being flung head first into the deep end of it all, being forced to face it before he was ready and remembering to try to come up for air felt like an impossible task.

He’d have to learn on the go, learn to bend and be shaped by how quick the waters of change were flowing otherwise he’d snap and crumble under its currents. And Gavin knew he was stronger than that. Sure, he was a stubborn asshole, but he was also a stubborn asshole that refused to let the world win no matter the hand he’d been dealt.

_Calm the fuck down._

_It’s okay to miss Nines, idiot._

Neil had been broken out of police custody and someone that looked like Connor had helped do it. There was no fucking way Connor would have done it, Gavin simply refused to believe it. He hadn’t outright apologised to the guy for anything he’d done to him in the past but that android was too infuriatingly straightlaced and _nice_ to even contemplate something like this. 

Nines was already here, trying to assist in any way he could and Gavin had promised back home that he’d join him. He’d have time to work through the issues he’d thought he had managed to deal with, but right now, Gavin had a job to do. He eventually swallowed down his fear, steadied his breathing further and finally got out of the car. He pulled his jacket tighter around himself, purely out of habit at this point, it was almost like a nervous tick as he slowly made his way towards the building.

Body bags were dotted around the floor at various places in the precinct. The night shift that had been present hadn’t been big but almost all of them had been killed. The sleek glass and minimalist design of the bullpen only served to further heighten the carnage that had happened. Each bullet hole lodged in a desk or caught in a wall stood out like a sort of dark star; a stark reminder that the only thing they brought was death. 

Forensics were hard at work cataloguing and photographing, constantly moving around the bullpen, scuttling to and fro like they were insects crawling inside the corpse of some recently dead animal. Officers were also tirelessly working; assisting wherever they could and trying to start the immense task of initiating the no doubt complicated clean-up operation. 

There was a feeling hanging in the air that only came after any devastating event; that feeling of solemn realisation that just compelled people to move because it filled them with a restless energy. Gavin could sense, no, _smell_ that feeling in the air as he made his way into the station and he hated it. It curled around his gut, a multitude of scents pushing in on him whether he wanted it or not and that already shaky confidence he built in his car was starting to wane. 

Gavin ignored some of the pointed stares he got from people he didn’t know as he carefully made his way through the building. He caught the eye of Chris who gestured towards the break room and he curtly nodded his head as thanks before he quietly made his towards the room.

Equipment lay broken at desks, papers and tablets were strewn everywhere and the first thing that Gavin noticed as he entered the bullpen was the large spider’s web of fractured glass that blossomed from a bullet lodged in a glass wall of Fowler’s office. The glass was bulletproof, who fucking knew? Gavin eyed the red smear that trailed to the floor before he eyed the brain residue that still clung around the impact site, two morbid reminders that a body had even sat there at all. 

The Captain was sitting in his office, the glass hadn’t been tinted towards privacy and Gavin could see the man was in a meeting. He was surrounded by people Gavin didn’t know, probably a team of higher-ups that were trying to come up with the best course of action. Whether the leak to the press earlier had been intentional, the police needed to try and get ahead of the curve, they were playing catch up and starting anything on the backfoot was never good. It was never nice having to plan damage control in the midst of a crisis.

A queasy feeling sat in his stomach as Gavin moved past Fowler’s office and finally made his way into the break room where everyone had set up.

Connor was stood at one of the tables and Nines was by his side, a hyper-vigilant guard, his usually soft steel-grey eyes were narrowed into a hard stare as he watched the entrance. Focused, determined, unwavering; Gavin had never quite seen his partner like this. His mood instantly lifted when he caught sight of Nines but that piercing stare made something giddy settle in his chest. He saw Nines soften slightly as he registered his presence and that feeling instantly disappeared. _He isn’t angry at you, idiot_. Gavin pushed down that very irrational omega fear and shot his partner a small smile.

“Nice of ya to fuckin’ join us.”

Hank’s gruff voice broke the silence. It wasn’t malicious but it still managed to fill Gavin with a quiet dread and he couldn’t help but feel strangely defensive.

“Yeah, well…” Gavin trailed off as he turned and gave Hank a quick shrug. He couldn’t help the irritated glare he gave the older man as he looked over at him. He was standing by Tina over by the counter. 

Hank’s eyes lingered slightly on the bite marks he couldn’t hide and Gavin saw a silent understanding flash through the man’s eyes. Hank moved forward and slung an arm around Gavin’s shoulder and pulled him into a weird sort of welcoming one armed hug. His eyes darted from Nines at the table to Tina at the counter, the latter of which gave him a warm smile.

“You’re okay, kid. How you feelin’?” Hank’s voice was devoid of any judgement, Gavin knew he obviously meant it as a greeting.

Gavin swallowed and physically forced himself to relax under the man’s arms. “Isupposemgood” He managed to awkwardly mumble under his breath.

Nines eyed the exchange with a cool sense of disinterest but Gavin could tell he was keeping a close eye on what Hank was doing. It settled something inside him, being surrounded by alphas, one that Gavin almost felt he belonged to and others who were just simply _good_. He felt weirdly _protected_. 

_And, fuck, are those goddamn pills actually working or not?_ _Wait, they just stop me feeling sad or some shit, right? They don’t actually stop me from acting like a fuckass and feeling everything else, do they? Fuck, fuck, fuc-_

A tinge crept its way across his cheeks as Hank clapped him friendly on the back. He barked out a laugh and Gavin shot him a glare before the man moved towards Connor and Nines and joined them at the table.

Gavin noticed a pad on the table and finally seemed to take stock of the rather somber look on Connor’s face. 

They had all kind of addressed the elephant in the room and for that, Gavin was grateful. But they were at work and he’d returned early for a reason, so it was time to get over himself the best he could and get to work. He moved to join them and he came to stand by Nines. He fully expected someone to make a comment but nobody so much as batted an eyelid.

“Anyone care to bring me up to speed?” Gavin asked roughly.

“Oh shit, yeah, right.” Hank said as the realisation dawned on him that the younger detective had only just arrived.

He straightened himself up as he grabbed the pad up from the table. He flicked through it and Gavin got the distinct feeling that Hank was getting ready to leave, he watched the man give Connor a quick squeeze on the shoulder and saw something flash in the android’s brown eyes. So omegas weren’t the only ones who felt comforted by alphas, betas did too at times; or so it seemed. 

_Ha, phuckin’ suck it, Conn- the fuckin’ guy helped you the fuck out when you got spiked, chill it the fuck out, asshole._

“Nines here managed to debunk Connor being the perp pretty quick once he arrived.” Hank spoke without even looking up from the datapad. “We’re not entirely sure how they managed to make it work, perhaps they had an inside man or whatever. However they made it happen though, it’s purely speculation at this point.” He finished whatever he was doing on the pad and handed it over to Gavin who took it gingerly.

He eyed the scrolling pictures on screen, he recognised some of them; they were photos of the night shift. Hank cleared his throat and Gavin tore his eyes from the screen to focus his attention back onto the man. Hank shifted closer to him and Gavin couldn’t help but narrow his eyes at the action.

“Almost all the staff and on-duty officers were killed. Be warned, kid… some of the officers here are gunnin’ for ya.” Gavin furrowed his brows which made Hank pause as he shot the guy an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, Reed, thought I’d prepare you.” 

The older man straightened himself out and clapped Gavin sympathetically on the shoulder. Gavin knew that meant he was seconds from leaving. Connor gathered himself up and moved towards the exit and Hank joined him as he went. They were just about to disappear around the corner when the older man stopped suddenly. 

“Oh and before I forget, Fowler wants to talk to you when you have a free minute, Reed.” Hank shot the young detective a pointed look which just garnered a scowl. “Good luck, you two.”

With that, they finally disappeared around the corner. 

Gavin stared after them for a moment before he turned towards Tina who was still lingering at the counter. She was typing away at her phone and when she was finished, Gavin felt his pocket buzz. Tina slipped her phone back into her pocket with a wink. “Catch up with you later, Gav. Take it easy, yeah?” She too quickly disappeared out of the room and the two of them were finally left alone. 

Before he settled, Gavin made himself a coffee. The station’s coffee was always shitty but it was definitely better than nothing. He pulled the steaming cup from the machine and went and stood back next to Nines. He took a tentative sip and it didn’t take long until Gavin felt the caffeine work its magic.

“How are you feeling?” Nines asked quietly.

“Fine.” Nines shot him a look which had Gavin snorting into his coffee. He rearranged himself before he clarified. “Okay, I’m doing… okay, I fuckin’ guess.” He paused and took another drink of his coffee. “I’ll live, okay, Nines?” 

He shot a sly look at his partner and that answer finally seemed to satisfy the android by his side. Nines shot him a small smile, warm and just for him and Gavin couldn’t help but smile back.

“So, uh, what did Hank mean by what he said? What have I phckin’ done this time?” 

“Have you not seen our desks?”

Gavin shook his head which caused Nines to continue.  
  
“It seems we have become an easy target for, how shall I say it, some rather disgruntled alphas.”

“The fuck you mean by ‘disgruntled alphas’?”

Nines hesitated a moment before he caught sight of the glare Gavin was nursing in his direction. Alpha flashed at the forefront of his mind, to put _his_ omega in their place but Nines pushed the feeling down. He didn’t say anything, but the pause was long enough to have Gavin break his gaze and scowl at his coffee instead.

“Some of them blame _you_ for what happened. It has not escaped notice that Neil was broken out of custody whilst we were on heat leave. Some of them think this wouldn’t have occurred if you hadn’t started to push against the status quo-

_“Excuse me?”_

“-they blame you for the death of our fellow officers.” 

Gavin’s heart managed to skip a beat and he felt his stomach drop all at once. That tense unpleasant feeling you get when you get very sudden and unexpected bad news. He didn’t even know what to say. _Blame...blame me?_

He had worked alongside some of these officers for several years. Sure, Gavin was an asshole, people didn’t like him and he didn’t like them, but there was always that unspoken feeling of family. He stared blankly at the wall opposite until his face hardened into an angry and sour expression, he quickly downed the rest of his coffee before he turned on Nines.

“They’re all alphas, right? The only fuckin’ reason they dare say it is because I’m an omega, Nines. We _both_ know it.” Gavin couldn’t help the hard edge to his voice as he spoke. His anger was justified and they both knew it.

The alpha by his side didn’t so much as move, just stared at him carefully with understanding steel-grey eyes. The fact that Nines didn’t try and dispute or chastise him for his feelings made a strange comfort settle in his chest.

“That is not to say that I haven’t received my share of backlash. We are _partners_ afterall.” Nines paused as he straightened himself beside Gavin, eyes glaring at two police officers that lingered in the entrance until they disappeared. “Are you okay?” The concern in the question managed to soothe the man’s lingering temper. 

Gavin didn’t answer, he just looked at his partner with a silent pleading that made the android relax and shoot him a sympathetic smile. 

“Do you know what Fowler wants?” The man asked after a moment’s silence.

“I do not.” Nines answered simply.

 _Huh_.

“Once it is our lunch break, do you wish for me to accompany you to the Captain’s office?” Nines continued without hesitation.

“I, uh… _could you?_ ” Gavin left out the please but it was still very much there in the way he asked anyway.

“Of course.” Nines gave a quick nod of his head as he placed his arms behind his back. “Are you ready to get to work?” 

_Get to work?_ Gavin wasn’t even supposed to be here but then again, he hadn’t been forced to come in either. He was still technically on heat leave, so it had simply been the right thing to do. He figured that the majority of the investigation surrounding the case was being carried out by whoever was most senior on duty, Hank probably, so he assumed that they were both here to simply provide assistance. Nines caught sight of Gavin’s confused expression as he made his way out of the break room, the action causing the man to promptly fall in-step behind him and follow him.

“I do know this much, the Captain wants us to continue handling this case.”

As Nines came to a stop by their desks, it became apparent why.

They were the only two in the whole station that were pristine. There wasn’t an item out of place, even the chairs were still neatly under the tables. Gavin knew Neil had a weird obsession with him, he didn’t know why, so he probably should have expected _something_. His stomach sank as he caught sight of the glitching and shimmering text that had been scrawled holographically over both their desks.

He eyed his workstation.

 **_YOU’RE MINE, GAVIN_ ** ****  
**  
** He then turned to Nines’ workstation to his right.

**_TICK TOCK_ **

Gavin pulled his jacket around himself, a force of habit he did when he was stressed and wanted to hide himself.

 _Fucking shit_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive shoutout to DeviantAlicee for beta-ing, love you lots <3
> 
> Next chapter will come whenever it's good and ready, hope you all enjoyed!  
> (Who else is in the Neil is a bastard club? Just me?)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Me: Gavin, you can't be *that* stupid  
> Gavin: is that stupid  
> Me: Oh

That moment Neil had brought up his hand, the neon-orange powder glistening in his hand as it caught the light - it’s fire bright colour was forever etched into his memory. Flying, dancing, falling through the air; in that moment, time seemed to slow down. That feeling of helplessness as he was bound to the girder in that warehouse like an animal, unable to move as he watched the power fly towards him and he was spiked.  
  
Burning, burniNG, BURNING, FIRE IN MY VEINS, CLAWING, ITCHING - _you’re mine Gavin_ \- that feeling of being ripped apart at every cell, burning to death from the inside out but his body wouldn’t let him fucking die. The lust and the need and the want, they were like knives in his brain as he screamed and screamed for Nines but his alpha wouldn’t mate him. 

Pain, paiN, PAIN... _MATE ME_ ... KILL ME, KILL ME, _KILL_ -

“Gavin, are you okay?”

Nines’ concerned voice broke through his spiralling thoughts. The moment he had laid eyes on that _fucking taunt_ left by Neil, his world had instantly stopped and he couldn’t help as those thoughts crashed in on him, they were like a freight train he was powerless to stop. Gavin realised he was staring, vacant eyed at his workstation and Nines was patiently waiting beside his desk. 

He rolled his shoulders, giving his partner a shrug as he shot Nines a slightly too fake and lopsided grin. “Yeah, I’m fine, tin can, why wouldn’t I be?” His voice came out as a rough grunt causing Gavin to wince to himself.

In reality, he wasn’t fine. 

He could have used a year’s worth of therapy and even then, that probably wouldn’t even scratch the surface. But, he wasn’t about to let Nines know he was barely holding it together, he was just stubborn enough to be _that_ asshole just a little while longer. He really didn’t need that cotton wool sympathy that would ultimately end in someone bringing up his secondary gender. Not today, not when he was drowning in sensations and feelings that he didn’t want to feel, not right now. His brain was tugging him in two different directions and Gavin was so fucking close to just falling apart at the seams.

He wanted nothing more right now than to be wrapped up in the arms of Nines, _safe_ at home in his apartment and Gavin hated constantly fighting against his body, his needs, his wants. And that feeling of vulnerability that always went hand in hand; that crept under the surface, that kept his senses so keenly aware with his body coiled tight like a spring, ready to run or fight at a moment’s notice. He’d been back at work for what felt all of thirty minutes and Gavin was already _tired_. So fucking tired.

Nines’ piercing gaze went right through him. 

There was no hiding, or at least, not from Nines. Not really anyway, not anymore. Gavin rearranged himself, dropping his facade just slightly as the android moved back to stand beside him. They stood side by side, shoulders tantalizingly close but not quite touching.

“If you want to go home, you can. Everyone here would understand and I can handle things.”

There was no command, no order in Nines’ voice. Just the concern of a partner, a lover, _a_ _boyfriend_. Gavin appreciated it, he really did, but the first thing his mind zeroed in on was the thing that went unspoken, that this was only being said because he was an omega.

_I don’t need to be fucking babied, fucking treated different, why can no one fuc-_

He felt Nines’ shoulder rest gently against his own and that action alone stopped his thoughts in their tracks. His anxieties, his worries, his anger, they all seemed to melt away just a fraction at the contact and Gavin crossed his arms over his chest. One hand came up to rub tiredly at his eyes for just a moment before he let out a deep sigh.

“I want to be here, Nines. I-I’ll be okay, I want to help.” He didn’t try to hide the tiredness in his voice, not this time. And what he had said was weirdly true, despite everything. 

The two of them exchanged a knowing glance, a look of sad appreciation flickered across Gavin’s face and Nines lowered his head just a fraction in understanding. The moment lasted a second before it disappeared; now they were on the clock, they were partners and they had a job to do.

His partner handed him a pair of blue evidence gloves, which Gavin took gingerly and pulled on, the snap of the latex as he did so was something that never failed to satisfy him; it meant that he could finally apply himself to something he was actually good at - his job.

The two of them meticulously combed over every inch of their workstations. From the angle and spacing of the lettering of the messages that had been left on their desks, Nines was able to deduce that Neil couldn’t have been the one that left them. The CyberLife Sans font and the spacing between each letter was too precise, even down to the decimal.

“The Connor lookalike?” Gavin posed.

“Naturally.” Nines answered coolly. 

Gavin watched the wording glitch and shimmer; they were made by an electronic tagger, the kind used by kids to graffiti abandoned buildings and city streets, so that meant it could have been bought anywhere. They were also usually nigh untraceable. _Fucking great._

He tapped a gloved index finger against his lips in thought, eyes drifting over to Nines who was stood by his desk. He watched as his partner skimmed through some files that contained the preliminary findings of the murders and unfortunately, there was nothing of significance. 

The firearm that had been primarily used was a Glock 22, but that was standard issue to half of the DPD. The bullets were untraceable so they had nothing to go on. They had countless fingerprints but they were of no help as that wasn’t the information they were after. Fingerprints are what they could have used way back when this whole mess had started, but the universe was cruel. Now they needed information on Neil’s whereabouts and the world wasn’t so kind in that regard.

Gavin cleared his throat which drew the attention of his partner. Since they had nothing else to go on, he couldn’t help but state the obvious. As much as doing so made his skin crawl, he swallowed down his discomfort and voiced his thoughts.

“So why leave a message for us…” He trailed off and sighed heavily before he corrected himself. “For me?” Nines focused his gaze on Gavin as he took in the man’s hard expression as he finished his sentence. It was clear his partner was putting on a front and he decided this whole situation called for honesty. 

“It has been clear in our limited interaction with him that Neil feels some… _connection_ to you.” Nines offered. Perhaps it had been his inflection on the word ‘connection’, but he saw a look of panic quickly flash across Gavin’s face.  
  
 _You’re mine, Gavin_.  
  
That simple phrase crashed into his mind like a rampaging bull; consuming everything in its path and leaving nothing in its wake but panic. Fear gripped ice-tight at Gavin’s stomach. 

“I don’t feel _any_ connection with him, Nines. I promise.” The words fell from his mouth before he could stop them. The desperation and pleading that was so tightly laced in them, they both knew they were the words of an omega trying to placate an alpha due to some perceived offence. 

Gavin caught sight of Nines’ careful expression and he couldn’t help the slight blush that started to tinge his cheeks. He closed his eyes, crossed his arms over his chest again, chewed at the inside of his cheek, his mind filling with vacant green eyes that seemed to pierce into his soul.

 _You’re mine_ _  
__You’re mine_ _  
__You’re-_

“Gavin.”

The man’s eyes snapped open and he saw Nines standing directly in front of him; the android’s even tone had been like a lifeline in the midst of a storm and his mind immediately latched onto it. 

Crossing his arms against himself tighter still, Gavin swallowed down his fear as he straightened. Steeling himself, he glared at Nines as if somehow, the earlier slip of his tongue were his partner’s fault. Sure, he was being irrational, but for just this once, he didn’t want to hide it.

Nines’ gaze, those calming grey eyes; the fear, the panic, the brash anger that had started to bubble up to hide everything - they all proceeded to melt away and Gavin finally felt like he could breathe. They exchanged a look, Nines didn’t say anything and Gavin was grateful. He couldn’t handle a public exchange, not right now.

“You think he’s going to try and finish what he started?” 

Gavin’s question cut through the silence like a knife and hung in the air between them. Nines’ gaze darkened just slightly, he saw a glint flash through his partner’s eyes that managed to make nerves dance through his stomach. 

“More than likely.” Nines answered in a solemn tone. 

“How likely?” Gavin couldn’t help but wince slightly at his stupid question but when going up against the Devil, he always liked to know the odds. 

He saw the android falter slightly, but if they were going to go through hell to catch the man, Gavin wanted to know. He’d been through its fires once already and he wasn’t entirely sure if he’d be able to survive a second time unscathed. Those flames were an all consuming blaze and once they had their hold, the allure of igniting under their grasp was almost impossible to ignore. Afterall, it was in Gavin’s nature, his blood. 

“I am ninety-nine percent certain.”

“Why not a hundred?

“It is not wise to form concrete opinions in the light of such little facts.”

Gavin knew Nines was right. In their line of work, forming preconceptions without any solid evidence clouded judgement and was generally more of a hindrance than a help, but the man couldn’t help the slight frown that flickered quickly across his face. He sighed and uncrossed his arms, settling his hands on his hips as he chewed at his lip in thought. 

Now that Gavin was actually focusing his mind, he found that he was able to start forming hypotheses. He was a fucking good detective and it was about time he started acting like it, everything else be damned. 

“You think they had inside help?” He posed, his voice a whisper as he remembered what Hank had said earlier in the break room.

Gavin watched as his partner’s LED cycled yellow for a moment before he gave a curt nod. It seemed that almost everyone was in agreement then.  
  
“ _Phck_.” His trademark curse escaped lips as little more than a murmur, it was lost in the surrounding chaos but he knew Nines had heard it because he saw the android stiffen almost instantly.

Nines’ eyes scanned the bullpen, his already sharp gaze hardening as he focused in on an area near Fowler’s office. “Perhaps we should move this conversation elsewhere.” His steel-grey eyes were all warning, never leaving where they were looking as he spoke. 

Gavin turned and followed his partner’s gaze, his attention immediately zeroing in on a group of four officers huddled together near the left corner of the Captain’s office. He recognised one of them, an alpha, some asshole beat cop with an infuriatingly cocky attitude and he was staring right back at them. Soon four pairs of eyes were glaring at him from across the bullpen and _fucking shit_ , Gavin felt like he had swallowed his tongue.  
  
 _Four against one, you’re outnumbered._ _  
__Hide, hide, hide, Nines, NINES, NINES IS SAFE._

Omega crashed through all his being, his nature screaming at him in a way that had Gavin digging his fingernails into his palms to keep himself from giving in to that fear that had settled lightning quick in his bones. It was like a lead weight. Nines positioned himself between the man and the group, the need to protect his omega too strong to ignore completely. 

Gavin forced himself to focus on Nines. “One of the conference rooms upstairs?” He was surprised by just how calm his voice sounded. 

His partner nodded curtly at which Gavin roused himself, turning on his heel and made his way towards the stairs. Something settled in his nerves when he felt Nines fall in-step behind him and it was just enough to bolster his confidence and make some of that irrational fear disappear. He knew it was nothing more than a mask, but at this point, Gavin would take anything.

Once they had moved to an office; had four walls and privacy, it allowed the two of them to properly focus. A still from the footage had been blown up on the large interactive white board - a freeze frame of Neil and the other RK unit before the camera had been destroyed. Various photos had been stuck around it; Neil’s workplace photo that LifeLine had on file, a photo of his murdered sister, as well as a photo of the man’s parents - the family that had disowned him and cast him out. 

They had been at this for hours; Nines was sitting comfortably in one of the seats opposite the board and was patiently watching Gavin slowly pace back and forth in front of him. The man’s face was scrunched up in thought, one arm crossed against his chest, the other hand resting against his chin and he was absentmindedly nibbling at his thumbnail as he moved. He was also wearing Nines’ jacket. It was a size too big but the detective didn’t care. 

Nines had taken it off and draped it around Gavin’s shoulders shortly after they had moved into the conference room. At first the man had tensed up, had stopped what he was doing and Nines was sure he had overstepped some boundary Gavin wasn’t quite yet comfortable with. But it wasn’t long until his partner removed his own and properly pulled it on, wrapping himself up in the neon white fabric as if it were armour that would protect against anything. Nines’ alpha scent surrounded him, comforted him and Gavin was loathe to admit it, but that smell had quickly soothed his frayed nerves like water enveloping a burning flame. 

Seeing Gavin in his jacket, the marks that _he_ had made still visible on the man’s neck, it made something settle in his circuits as he watched his partner. _It felt right_. 

When his partner had suggested they move to the privacy of a conference room, Nines had been silently grateful. It minimised the risk of eavesdropping; if there had been inside help, the two of them were going to have to be careful. Plus, he _knew_ Gavin was struggling - the man had been stubborn enough that he had put on a front all morning, but he was still only human. This soon after a heat, Nines knew he’d be dealing with a whirlwind of different sensations, so moving to a more secluded area made sense, it allowed the man to just simply... _exist_.

The detective stopped and picked up one of the photos from the file that had been spread out over the table. His eyes flickered down and focused on another, Gavin frowned in thought as he picked that one up and held the two pictures side by side. They had managed to find photos of the entire precinct, even some of the higher ups, the people above Fowler - two of which he was holding in front of him. 

A man and a woman, dressed in suits, the kind of people that dictated the rules but didn’t want to get their hands dirty - Gavin knew the type. Something danced tantalizing at the edges of his mind and the longer he stared at the photos, the more the thought came into focus. A triumphant glint was in his eye as he eventually lowered the photos and looked at his partner. 

“What if Neil has family higher up in the justice system, Nines?” He paused as he watched the android lean forward over the table, giving him his undivided attention. “Remember how his incarceration wouldn’t move any further before we went on heat leave?” Gavin shot him a pointed look, raising an eyebrow to back up his question. 

“I remember.” Nines paused as he picked up a photo. It was a headshot of Joseph Allen, the precinct’s SWAT Captain. “What you’re suggesting is…” He trailed off as his LED cycled yellow and his eyes narrowed. It was one thing to believe there were fellow colleagues who might have helped orchestrate Neil’s escape, but it was another thing entirely to pose the idea that this went far beyond a mere inside job and the implications of Gavin’s question were immense. 

“ _Nines_.” The way his partner said his name immediately made him focus on the man. “Listen, if Neil’s family is half as influential as my-” Gavin cut himself off, he still hadn’t told Nines about his mother. He still wasn’t ready, one day maybe, but not yet. Nines didn’t so much as falter as he rearranged himself before he spoke again. “Look... the Smiths? They are _old_ alpha blood, Nines, so please trust me when I say I know what I’m talking about. You’re telling me that you don’t think they’ve got reach everywhere?” He crossed his arms, leant against the table and watched his partner intently.

Nines knew exactly what Gavin was talking about. But if what the man was saying were true, that meant they were both in way over their heads and this case was about to get a hell of a lot more complicated. 

“No, Gavin, I agree, but the implications of what you’re saying… there will no doubt be dire consequences to this if we’re wrong.” 

“So, you’re with me on this, huh?”  
  
“Of course, we’re partners and I will always have your back to the best of my ability.”

They smiled at each other, but Gavin couldn’t help but feel as though they had just signed their own death warrants. He just wanted Neil behind bars, fucking rotting away until he died was the least that sick fuck deserved, but now they were potentially going up against giants. They were soon going to be standing at a cliff’s edge, but hey, at least they’d be fucking going over together. 

Gavin opened his mouth to say something else but the rumbling sound of his stomach cut him off. Trust his body to let him know it was lunch time, it always fucking did. Nines must have heard it too because he carefully placed the photo that was still in his hands back on the table before he rose out of his chair. Gavin’s eyes flickered down to the picture for a moment.

“Allen, huh?” He said out loud as he straightened and stood in front of his partner. 

He looked into the android’s face for a second but all that met him were calm eyes, that infuriatingly stoic face betrayed nothing. Gavin’s eyes twinkled, a shit eating grin starting to tug at the corners of his mouth. 

“Joseph reminds me a lot of you, y’know?” He teased. **  
**  
Nines said nothing as he cocked an eyebrow at him, watching with silent amusement as Gavin shrugged off his jacket. The detective faltered for just a second and Nines swore he saw a sad look flitter across his features for just a moment before the man slowly held out his jacket for him.

“The SWAT Captain reminds you of me?” Nines asked as he took his jacket. He wanted to draw the man’s focus back to whatever teasing was about to come out of his mouth and _not_ the sadness Nines felt was sure to fill the man with a self loathing. Gavin barked out a rough laugh as he gathered his own jacket from where he’d hung it on the back of a chair. 

“Yeah, he’s an alpha and he’s super fuckin’ nice.” That grin was back on his face as he pulled it on. “Just. Like. You.” Gavin zipped up his jacket and stuck his hands into his pockets, watching as Nines pulled on his own in one swift movement.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, we’ve been for a couple beers before, if we weren’t kinda together… I’m just sayin’, Nines.”  
  
 _There it was._

The android looked at him slyly out of the corner of an eye as he moved past him and towards the exit. A chuckle escaped his lips as he saw the disappointment on the man’s face that he hadn’t risen to his bait. 

“Well, perhaps you could invite him over one evening... I’m not opposed to sharing.” Nines deadpanned as he opened the door, pausing as he turned to look back at his partner. The blush on Gavin’s cheeks had Nines grinning at him in turn.

“I might hold you to that.” 

“Please do.” 

The blush on Gavin’s cheeks deepened, he drew his jacket tighter around himself as he looked Nines directly in the face. He shook his head, a strange noise escaping his lips as he brushed past his partner and into the corridor. 

“You’re a phckin’ tease, y’know that?”

“Takes one to know one.”

“What makes you think I’m joking about Allen?”  
  
“And what makes you think _I_ wasn’t being serious?”

Nines interfaced with the door, locking it so no one else would be able to enter whilst they were gone. He came to a stand by Gavin in the corridor, eyebrow still raised and a smug look on his face as he looked at his partner. The scowl he was met with made Nines relax and shoot the man a soothing smile instead. 

The detective bit his lip, shook his head as he calmed his quickly rising temper. He chuckled roughly and bumped his shoulder against Nines’, the action a silent ‘I love you’ before he moved towards the stairs and he couldn’t help the smile on his face as he felt Nines quickly fall in-step behind him.

______ 

  
  


Gavin was glad that Nines had said he’d accompany him to Fowler’s office.

Whatever confidence he had shakily built over the morning instantly disappeared the moment he stepped through the Captain’s door. He stopped immediately when he saw that Fowler wasn’t alone. He was still stood in the doorframe and felt Nines at his back; unknown alpha scents lingered and pressed in and in and in-

“This is David Stern, he’ll be sitting in on the beginning of this meeting.”

Fowler’s voice snapped his attention back into the office and Gavin glared at the man in question; dark hair styled in such a way that it highlighted his sharp features so it screamed arrogance, a cocky prick in a tailored suit that had never stepped foot outside of an office unless the situation was dire enough to call for it. The man’s alpha scent curled with his sharp cologne in a way that invaded his senses and it almost made Gavin feel light-headed. 

“Meeting?” He grunted out his question a little too rough, bristling as he noticed Fowler’s and David’s gaze zero in on his little act of defiance. David’s piercing eyes remained on him just long enough that it started to make his skin crawl. 

“Reed, sit down.” Fowler sighed and Gavin heard the tired frustration underneath. He didn’t argue, not this time and quickly sat in the chair by the Captain’s desk. 

He didn’t look at David who was sitting by his side. He felt the man’s eyes practically burning into him but chose instead to remain firmly focused on his Captain who was still standing behind his desk. Gavin started to chew on the inside of his cheek, nerves and irritation slowly starting to flare. He definitely wasn’t going to start bouncing his leg, start fidgeting under David’s scrutiny and give the fucker the satisfaction. 

“Why are you here, Nines?” Authority laced Fowler’s question.

“Because I asked him here. Plus, he’s my fuckin’ partner.” Gavin paused as he swallowed. “Whatever you want to talk to me about, he can hear it as well.” He held the Captain’s gaze, a silent plea that the man acknowledged with a slight bow of his head and another sigh. 

_Jeffrey, please._

The Captain looked up at Nines who was still standing by the door. The two of them exchanged a knowing look and Fowler’s eyes flickered back over to the omega that was the cause of all his current problems. He didn’t say anything as he finally sat down behind his desk and Gavin let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. 

“We really should have done this before you went on heat-leave, Reed, but-” Fowler paused, shooting the detective a sorry look and suddenly a sick feeling settled in the bottom of Gavin’s stomach. “-DPD policy dictates that if an omega _cannot_ take heat blockers, a review into their position within the force _must_ take place.” 

The statement hung in the air, a charged silence filling the office as no one said anything. Jeffrey looked at the young detective sitting in front of him, the man purposefully avoiding eye contact by staring intently at a spot on his desk instead and that feeling of remorse grew.

Those few seconds seemed to stretch into an eternity. Gavin chewed and chewed and fucking chewed on his cheek, each bite harder than the last, wincing as he bit down hard on the soft flesh inside his mouth, but he still couldn’t stop his leg from bouncing slightly. One of his hands slowly clenched into a fist, his nails digging into his palm and Gavin wanted nothing more than to lash out in that moment. Punch David in his smug fucking face until it bled and his knuckles split. 

Gavin knew Fowler was only following procedure. 

After the equality movement, the government deemed that individual states could write their own legislation with regards to secondary gender equality. Usually, the laws passed left it to the discretion of individual companies to decide. Everyone knew it was an ultimately hollow gesture, the passing of responsibility that only gave the illusion of equality because almost everywhere adopted the same rules. 

Omegas had to take blockers of all kinds if they were employed and if at anytime during the omega’s employment they no longer could for whatever reason, it was up to the employer to decide what to do. They’d consider each case and make exceptions for extenuating circumstances, but Gavin knew those were few and far between. 

His anger and irritation waned, they simmered down and his fist slowly uncurled as he got caught up in his thoughts. It also didn’t help he was surrounded by alphas on all sides, those unmistakable scents making his nose twinge and that spark of defiance quickly simmered down into nothing more than a smolder.  
  
 _Would getting held hostage by a fucking psychopath whilst they spiked you with a mimicker that ultimately ended up changing the way your fucking body works be considered extenuating circumstances? Nah, not for you it wouldn’t, fucker. Nowhere to hide now and you’re still trying to run from who you are-_

“We all know the world works in a specific way. An omega _has_ to medicate themselves, for the good of everyone else.” David’s annoyingly smooth voice filled Fowler’s office. 

Gavin knew David’s type, had dealt with them countless times before; as an omega, there was _always_ a David around any given corner. That unmistakable sense of smug superiority that most alphas wore like a badge of honour; ego twisting together to make that superiority almost insufferable. As quick as it had disappeared, Gavin’s temper reared and he couldn’t help but snap his head towards the man sitting beside him. 

“ _Excuse me?_ ” Considering the outrage bubbling below the surface, Gavin thought he was extremely fucking polite all things considered. 

He saw displeasure flash through the man’s eyes when he didn’t back down. It made the alpha bristle and David rearranged himself in his seat, trying to make himself seem more imposing to an omega that somehow dared to stand their ground. Gavin saw it and all it made him was angrier, fueling that fire instead of dampening it. 

“You know _exactly_ what I mean.” David’s voice was dangerously cold as he spoke. “Alphas need that safety and reassurance. If your kind can’t take blockers, how is anyone supposed to get anything done?” He paused and narrowed his eyes and Gavin just glared at him. He knew what was coming, he just dared David to say it. “Detective Reed, was it? I’m amazed anyone can get anything done in this precinct at all. I can smell you a mile away and quite frankly, it’s disgusting and downright offensive.” 

David had said it, Gavin had silently dared him to, but that didn’t mean it that the words stung any less, they never did. Every insult, every kick back that raced through Gavin’s mind fizzled out before they even got a chance to escape his lips. A smug smirk tugged at the corners of David’s mouth as he saw Gavin falter, he’d caught onto his unspoken challenge and decided to call his bluff. There was a twinkle in his eye and it made Gavin’s skin crawl. 

“The world works in a specific way, Detective. There are rules, an established... _order_ that is in place for the good of everyone.” He paused as he finally dragged his attention away from Gavin and focused on Fowler. “If an omega can no longer follow those rules then they become a liability for everyone. You’re simply an accident waiting to happen, Detective, and we need to protect ourselves.” He finished speaking and his words hung heavy in the air for a second.

“ _A phckin’ accident waiting to happen?!”_ Gavin snarled, finally finding his voice. 

He was about to stand, lash out; his anger building to a point where it needed an outlet, but Gavin felt a strong hand on his shoulder, anchoring him so he couldn’t move and the sound of David’s cold laughter filled his ears. 

He knew it was Nines’ hand on his shoulder. His temper mixed with irritation and shame; his mind fixating irrationally on the action, picking it apart. The pressure couldn’t be anything more than a silent reminder to behave, he thought, and his skin started to itch at the contact. The longer Nines’ hand lingered on his shoulder, the more Gavin desperately wanted to shake it off.

“I think I’ve made my point.” David said, pointedly ignoring Gavin’s little outburst as he rose from his chair. “Jeffrey, I trust you to act accordingly and in the interests of everyone.” The finality to the man’s tone indicated that he was leaving.

Gavin didn’t even look in his direction as David moved swiftly towards the exit. When he didn’t hear the door open, he knew the man had something else to say, one last backhanded insult to throw his way before he left.

“You’re an omega, Detective Reed, I’ve heard the stories. It’s about _fucking_ time you started acting like one, because the world doesn’t take too kindly to those with ideas.” 

David’s parting words made that hand on his shoulder feel just that little bit too much and Gavin scowled as he shrugged it off. He pulled himself close as he huddled into a corner of the chair, crossing his arms as he pouted and glared at a spot on the floor just by Fowler’s desk. 

Nines took David’s place in the now free chair by the Captain’s desk. He hadn’t said anything at the harshness of Gavin’s action and the man in question peered inconspicuously over at his partner; no emotion was betrayed on his face, his brow pulling it into its usual stoic expression. He’d been expecting Nines to be angry and was slightly surprised that he wasn’t, but deep down, he knew Nines wasn’t like that. Gavin was still projecting his own insecurities onto any given situation and that wasn’t entirely fair when he knew they didn’t call for it. 

The calm demeanour his partner exuded made Gavin relax just a fraction, enough so he rearranged himself and he was now sitting upright instead of huddled into the corner. 

“So what happens next?” Gavin asked.

It was a stupid question but one that he felt needed asking; perhaps as a way of indicating to Fowler and Nines that he was ready to talk about the elephant in the room. The Captain sighed and fixed him with a tired expression. 

“I really should have spoken to you about all this before you went on heat-leave, I’m sorry.” Fowler started, shooting the detective an apologetic look to which Gavin slowly nodded in his head in agreement. “I _have_ to follow procedure on this one, Gavin... but that doesn’t mean we’re just going to roll the fuck over and go down without a fight.” The determination in the man’s voice had Gavin actually look him in the eye. 

“You’re serious?”  
  
“Damn right I am. Extenuating circumstances? You bet your fucking ass we’re gonna file, kid.”

“I didn’t think-”  
  
“ _Gavin_. The world has given you a break on this one, don’t fight it, not this time. I know you hate it, hate everything about it... but make use of the laws in place for omegas specifically. _J_ _ust this once, Reed..._ play them at their own game, Son.”

The resolve with which Fowler spoke dared Gavin to feel hope. It wouldn’t be one hundred percent perfect, things never were when Gavin was involved, but perhaps things would work out in one way or another.

“Am I correct in assuming this will not affect us working this case? That you still want Gavin and I to continue working this?” Nines asked coolly. 

The Captain looked at them before he gave a quick and curt nod of his head. 

“Even if I wanted Hank and Conner to work this case, they’ve got their own. They’re chasing a rumoured ‘new and improved’ strain of Red Ice, so they have their hands full.” He explained.

Gavin frowned and bit his bottom lip in thought. First Neil escaping and now a deadlier and more addictive strain of Red Ice when the city had a notorious problem with the drug already, it was just what Detroit needed. 

“Besides,” Fowler continued, “I figured everything that has happened, you two deserve to bring Neil in for good and make sure he faces the justice he deserves.” The man paused and carefully studied Gavin’s distant expression and hesitated visibly for a moment before he cleared his throat, drawing the young detective’s attention. They studied each other for just a second and the Captain finally found his voice. “You sure you’re up to handling this?” 

“Yeah, fu-… _yes_.” Gavin answered a little too rough and a little too fast, correcting himself with a cough.

Fowler held the younger man’s gaze for just a second. He saw him falter, his eyes flickering and he _knew_ Gavin was putting on a confident front and that he was hiding something. If it were his discomfort over his secondary gender or over the lingering wounds Neil had no doubt inflicted upon Gavin mentally, the Captain wasn’t sure. He could force the man to take sick leave, probably should all things considered; let the young detective take his time and see the therapist that the DPD had on call to work through his issues. 

After a few seconds, he saw Gavin’s gaze harden and he knew the man was seconds away from biting back. Against his better judgment, Fowler promptly pushed that thought down and the words that had been forming quickly died on his tongue. 

“Okay, Reed. _Okay_.” He said, turning his attention to the paperwork on his desk. “I’ll file this challenge and keep my superiors off your back for as long as I can. I expect to be kept in the loop, especially if you come across any breakthroughs.” Fowler paused as he picked up a pen. “Dismissed.”

Gavin and Nines rose out of their chairs, both hastily making their way towards the door. Gavin had his hand on the handle when a sound from behind them caught their attention for just a moment. They both turned and saw Fowler looking at them.

“Good luck and _be careful.”_

______________ 

  
  


After the meeting, the rest of the day had gone by relatively smoothly, even with news about his situation travelling fast through the precinct. Gavin felt eyes on him constantly, but now at least he felt that no one was bold enough to try anything, not now he had the constant threat of dismissal hanging over his head. They were only just getting started on this case however, and there was still plenty of time for him to end up bloodied and broken or worse. 

Both of them could. 

They returned to the conference room, both agreeing it would act as their makeshift base of operations for the case.

Following Gavin’s earlier spitballing, they had managed to single out people of interest from photos they had left covering the large table that was in the center of the room; a few officers, but mainly those that had positions above Fowler. It was purely speculative at this point and the rest of the afternoon revolved around research. 

First, they singled out alphas, then they carried out background checks into families. Gavin knew that if Neil’s family were anything like the others; they’d have reach everywhere. 

Not every alpha fit into that stereotypical image, he knew that. But Gavin had yet to meet anyone from those old influential families; those families that prided themselves on their pure alpha heritage and strong bloodlines, those that used to hold the majority of the power before the equality movement - he had yet to meet an alpha that held that type of heritage and _not_ meet that preconceived image.

Everyone liked to tote that the equality movement managed to fix everything, or at least managed to shift the scales of power into a more fair position and on the surface, it did. But those attitudes still existed; just as society adapted, so had alphas. 

Those old families still kept their claws firmly in their positions; as politicians, in the judicial and criminal justice systems, as CEOs of top leading companies. Hell, even though Elijah was his half-brother, he was still an alpha that came from one of those exact families and he was head of one of most influential companies in the world. Those alphas had adapted; had reinvented themselves and _pretended_ to care, finding ways to wrap up their bigotry and present it as genuine concern. It was a mask that slipped the instant they were behind closed doors. 

It took Gavin and Nines the rest of their shift, but as they were winding down for the day, they finally had a starting point.

The two of them had managed to whittle down their options until they had a handful of people that were of interest. They didn’t have any outright connections to Neil or his family, but all they needed was time. They had six people that fit the criteria they had come up with; four men and two women - they were all alphas that came from old families and had jobs that had allowed them perfect access to Neil when he was in custody. The delays to his processing through the justice system? They could have done it. 

Gavin pinned up the six photos on the white board. Along with the rest of the photos already on it, they made determination settle heavy in his gut as he took a step back and examined his handiwork. Having something concrete to see and reference always made him feel that progress was being made, no matter how small. He ran a hand tiredly down his face as he let out a yawn and Nines took that as his cue to try and usher the man towards the exit. 

The android came to a stand by Gavin’s left shoulder, hands clasped behind his back. He didn’t even need to reach out and touch the man because his partner acknowledged his presence mere seconds later by turning his head. Gavin studied his face, tiredly crossing his arms against his chest as he looked into those calm grey eyes. Depending upon the situation, the tireder Gavin got, the more defensive he became, it was a natural reaction he couldn’t help and Nines couldn’t help but find the action as anything but guarded.

“Are we ready to go?” His stoic voice filled the room but Gavin caught the concern underneath.

It managed to ease a tension he didn’t know he’d been carrying. A weight felt like it had been lifted from his shoulders and Gavin seemed to melt under its absence as the tiredness he felt finally caught up with him. After a whole day of being on guard; of being hyper aware of everything around him as he constantly went through a rollercoaster of emotions - that on top of working a case? He was fucking exhausted. 

“Yeah.” He answered quietly.

Gavin roused himself, shoving his hands into his pockets with a sigh as he watched Nines power down the lights in the office. Gavin left and lingered in the hallway, waiting for his partner to join him, watching with a slight impatience as the android interfaced with the lock so no one could enter in their absence. 

“I’m proud of you for handling all of this as well as you have, today.” Nines said passingly as he joined the man. 

Gavin shot him a look but the android simply held his gaze. When Nines didn’t falter, the man rolled his eyes, an annoyed grunt escaping his lips as he focused his attention back forward and made his way towards the stairwell. Nines caught up with him and was about to try and push the issue further when he saw the relaxed way in which Gavin was carrying himself. He smiled to himself, he could tell the man had silently taken his words to heart; alpha providing an omega reassurance and he couldn’t help the small grin that tugged at his mouth.

They made their way down the stairs, Gavin stopping on the second-to-last step as he eyed the bullpen ahead of them. As he saw that familiar bustle; of people moving to and fro, colleagues sitting back at their desks now that the clean-up had largely taken place - it made a weird feeling settle in Gavin’s stomach at seeing the precinct back in near pristine condition.

There was always a fast turn around once a crime scene had been processed; the only clue of the carnage Neil had caused was the cracked and splintered bulletproof glass wall of Fowler’s office that hadn’t been replaced. But seeing the bullpen, seeing something that meant something to him - it amplified the feeling of just how temporary everything was. Of how easy it was for people to move on once the imminent threat had passed and that feeling always made him feel uneasy. Coupled with the tiredness that crept along his bones, Gavin could feel that anxious energy pricking at his insides again, making him instantly on guard even if he didn’t want to be. 

He caught sight of a group of people loitering near a vacant desk near Hank’s and Gavin recognised the alpha he’d seen earlier in the day, before his meeting with Fowler. It was a small miracle that he hadn’t gotten into a fight with them to be perfectly honest. Gavin had practically glued himself to Nines’ side all day just to avoid the confrontation because as soon as he caught sight of them all those hours ago, he knew they were just itching for something to happen. He felt Nines at his back, his presence, as always, was the silent reassurance he needed to swallow his nerves and continue down the stairs. 

The two of them exchanged curt nods with Hank and Connor who were sitting at their desks as they moved through the bullpen and made their way towards the underground parking garage.

They didn’t say anything as they left the station and Gavin drove to his apartment on autopilot, so much so he completely forgot that Nines was in the car with him. Even though they were practically boyfriends at this point, they _still_ didn’t live together. He let the car idle in his apartment's parking garage for a moment, chewing on his lip as those thoughts swirled in his head. Nines caught his eye and he finally cleared his throat.

“I-I didn’t even think. You wanna go back to your place or?”  
  
Gavin knew it was a stupid question, he knew Nines wanted to be with him and wanted to be there for him. Even though he wouldn’t admit it, he was still reeling. The post-heat drop hadn’t been too bad but that was because Nines had been close by throughout the day, but that didn’t mean it hadn’t constantly loomed like a shadow. 

He knew he had gone back to work too early; his hormones were still just on that side of being a little bit _too_ omega, they always were directly after a heat. It had been a battle before he had even left his apartment this morning, it had been a constant battle whilst he was at station; scents and emotions pressing in and vying for attention, of his blood screaming at him to run and to hide and to submit to the alphas around him. He’d dealt with it, he had picked up when they had moved upstairs, but that didn’t mean the day hadn’t drained him. 

As Gavin sat and looked tiredly at Nines, he felt fucking exhausted.

“ _Gavin._ ” The android started, his voice soft. “We’re both going to go upstairs, into your apartment and for once in your life... you’re going to shut up, _relax_ , and let someone else take care of you.” Nines said with a finality that didn’t allow Gavin to argue. Not this time.

The man let out a breath he didn’t even realise he’d been holding as he finally cut the engine. 

“... _Thanks.”_

It was the only thing Gavin dared to say because if he said anything else, he knew he’d fall apart. Nines smiled at him and he smiled tiredly back, the action enough to finally soothe his thoughts and quash the irrational doubt that curled around his brain; that despite his words and despite the last few months, somehow Nines _might_ just be lying about everything. 

They got out of the car, Nines waiting for Gavin to come round to him once he had locked it. He felt the way Gavin was pressing with his body weight against his left arm, leaning onto it, so he carefully wrapped it around the man’s shoulders instead. 

Nines then pulled his partner closer to him and leaned in to nuzzle at his hairline with his nose before he softly pressed a kiss to Gavin’s temple. Feeling the way Gavin let out a small sigh as he relaxed helped to relax Nines somewhat too. Since there was nobody else around, the two of them just stood there for a moment.

The android gave his shoulder a quick squeeze before he moved his arm back from around Gavin’s shoulder, entwining it through the man’s right arm instead so they could move more freely. They slowly made their way into the building’s elevator and rode up in silence to Gavin’s apartment. 

The rest of the evening was quiet.

Once they were back up in the man’s apartment, Gavin immediately changed into his pajamas and snuggled into a corner of his sofa. Nines made short work of making the man some dinner and joined him. Once he had eaten, they only spoke when Gavin initiated conversation, otherwise the two of them sat in a comfortable silence. Nines simply held onto the man and comforted him, Gavin snuggling into the alpha’s chest as they sat curled up together on his couch, watching TV.

They sat there for hours, long enough that Gavin had fallen asleep on Nines. The android roused him with a small squeeze and a gentle hand in his hair, allowing the man to wake before he started to shift from underneath him. He suddenly felt the man grip him tightly, in his still weary state, Gavin was bound to feel like Nines was leaving him, an alpha leaving their omega.

“I’m just going to get ready for bed. You want to join me when you’re ready?” He said quietly in response.

Nines felt Gavin relax instantly.

“Okay.”

The man pulled himself up to let Nines go into the bedroom. Gavin never immediately went to bed, Nines knew that. The man had a little pre-bed routine; he had to check his phone, check he’d locked the front door and get a drink of water from the kitchen before he’d even think about going to sleep.

Gavin stretched and yawned, watching Nines disappear into the bedroom out of the corner of his eye before he leant forward and fished his phone off the coffee table. The text he’d gotten from Tina way back when all of them were stuffed in the break room was still on his lockscreen. He’d forgotten all about it, _fuck_. He eyed the preview and a small grin crept along his face. 

She had wished him good luck but ultimately knew things would go fine since she knew he had Nines in his corner. He unlocked his phone, intent on sending her a quick reply as well as sending a quick text to Elijah, seeing as he also remembered what Nines had said about his brother turning up during his heat. But, as he scrolled through his messages, his eyes instantly zeroed in on the number and messages he knew were from Neil.

Gavin still hadn’t told anyone about it.

Neil had gotten his number from LifeLine’s confidential patient records and had taken to ‘talking’ to him before he’d gotten arrested. Hell, the guy had even _called_ him, it being the springboard that had led to both his arrest and well, Gavin getting spiked. 

His thumb hovered over the message stack.

_Don’t be that fucking stupid, don’t._

Gavin knew he should tell Fowler, hell, he should probably start by telling Nines. When he had suggested offering himself up as bait a month ago, Gavin had conveniently left out the part about Neil getting in contact with him.

He knew he needed a new phone and that his had been compromised; it was standard police procedure to not be a fucking idiot and correspond with known criminals. But as he sat there, Gavin’s thumb wavered.

_Don’t. Be. Fucking. Stupid._

He chewed on his lip and before he could stop himself, Gavin tapped on Neil’s number. The messages popped up, all from him, he had yet to send anything back. It was clear that the man was obsessed with him and the longer he sat there, looking at them, some twisted part of Gavin’s brain argued with him that he could use it to both his and the case’s advantage. 

He had a line directly to the piece of shit and he’d be fucking insane to squander it. 

_You’re mine, Gavin._

Gavin tapped onto the reply bubble at the bottom of the screen and watched as the keyboard popped up. 

_Don’t be fucki-_

He quickly typed out a single word.

> _Neil_

He sent it before the rational part of his brain had time to catch up with what he'd just done. 

He locked his phone again, gripping it tight in his hand as his leg bounced and he stared off at nothing in particular. After a few moments, his gaze hardened and he pulled himself up from the sofa. He shuffled his way into the kitchen and got a glass of water, passing by the front door and checking it was locked before he made his way towards his bedroom. He placed his phone on his nightstand and got into bed next to Nines; Gavin hadn’t brushed his teeth but he didn’t fucking care. He snuggled into the android’s hold and within minutes he was asleep.

When his work alarm went off the next morning, Gavin wasn’t surprised to find Nines already out of bed as he was always the first up. He could hear faint sounds coming from the kitchen from beyond the closed bedroom door and Gavin knew the android was preparing him breakfast. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he turned and picked up his phone, he had ignored his alarm long enough that it had switched off by itself. 

He saw Neil’s reply underneath the time, the man had replied at 2.30 this morning. 

It was a one word reply, just like the text he’d sent the night before.

> _Gavin._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gavin is really out there, making them 0 braincell choices!!  
> Hope you all enjoy! <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin: Wow I sure do hope I'm going to get a breather for five seconds!
> 
> Author voice: He did not get a breather.

Neil stared down at his phone, the text he’d gotten from Gavin and his reply illuminating the screen. That had been two days ago and there was a hard glint in his eye as he took a drag from his cigarette. 

He hadn’t been surprised when it pinged up on his screen in the early hours of the morning; he was laying the groundwork, had _wanted_ the detective to reach out to him under what Gavin thought was his own terms. Because that was important; with what Neil had planned, this all had to happen naturally, or at least, it had to give off the appearance that it did. 

Neil had first heard about Gavin from Elijah.

The man had mentioned him in passing when he was blind drunk at one of his many CyberLife fundraisers that he always seemed to hold a year or so ago. With so many alphas in the room, the conversation had unsurprisingly turned to omegas and Elijah let slip to a select few that he had a ‘sniveling omega of a half-brother’. 

For a man who prided himself on openness and transparency, who prided himself on treating everyone equally, Neil thought it ironic that behind closed doors, Elijah was just like every other alpha. He didn’t think much of it until he met Gavin for the first time months ago, when the man had come to his house investigating _his_ murders.

He was an omega that was a walking contradiction. 

Gavin carried himself with a bravado, had a confidence and a self-righteous anger that he had thought was unbecoming. And Neil, of course, saw right through it. It was something to hide behind and nothing more. So he decided to strip him of it. 

The universe was never kind to people who tried to be something they weren’t supposed to be. 

Taking away what Gavin could hide behind meant that Neil would be able to build him back up in his own image, afterall, in his mind they were two halves of the same coin. 

The moment he had laid eyes on him, Neil hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him; then he had set Gavin off on his journey of self discovery and it was only natural that he would be the one to guide him. 

The mimicker he spiked Gavin with should have been just another nail in his coffin, allowing Neil to tighten the noose of control further around the man’s neck. But he hadn’t accounted for his incessant alpha of a partner. 

The android had stopped him from ultimately achieving his goal that night, but the mimicker had still left its mark and it was only a matter of time. The omega survived his ordeal, came through the process changed; Gavin _belonged_ to him. The blood that now coursed through his veins was forever tainted by something _he_ had made. The man was still trying to fight him at every turn, fight his nature, but soon enough, he knew Gavin would crumble. 

And Neil knew that when he did, _it would be beautiful._

Neil pocketed his phone. 

Too much at once and he’d threaten to ruin the delicate work he’d already put into him. 

He took another long drag from his cigarette, burning it down to the filter before he stubbed it out against the balcony railing. His eyes twinkled as he leaned forward, holding the smoke in his lungs for just a second longer before he exhaled and rested himself against the rail, looking out over the Detroit skyline. 

He had murdered several alphas and shot up a police station, yet he was still untouchable. 

Dangle the promise of power in front of the right people and oh how easily they were ready to forgive and forget. Neil knew the way in which the world worked, so all he had to do was play the game. Alphas were just as easy to control as everyone else as long as you knew what to use and it was pathetic that they deluded themselves otherwise.

The outrage that had been splashed across the media at what he had done was only skin deep, just like with everything else. He was chastised with one hand yet welcomed with the other. 

Back before the equality movement had taken place, a few key alpha families controlled everything. It wasn’t known when or how Detroit had been essentially split between several different families but at some point long ago, it had. 

Each one controlled a different aspect of the city and then to further cement themselves and their power, marriage came into play. It had managed to keep things between themselves. The traditions, rules and attitudes had been established long ago and had become so ingrained in society that when the equality movement happened, they simply evolved; when it was said that the world had been built and shaped by alphas, it was simply the truth.

Alphas wanted a way to go back to the way things were. All the movement had done was force their bigotry behind closed doors and perhaps Neil had planted the idea in their minds that changing secondary genders could be fashioned into their own movement when he had gotten into contact with them. 

Make enough alphas and they could tip the scales back towards the established order that they felt had fallen by the wayside. They were too blinded to see the world hadn’t changed much at all and that’s why Neil held all of the power in this moment. Non gendered and cast out of his family, so he had never fallen prey to that narrow way of thinking. Instead, it had opened his eyes and allowed him to see both sides and see how disgustingly similar they were to each other. 

“David has informed me that he’s five minutes away.” Cole’s voice cut through his thoughts. Neil eyed CyberLife Tower for just a second longer before he straightened himself up. “I fail to see the benefit of meeting him at this time.” The android continued when he made no effort to speak.

Neil snorted out an amused breath through his nose. He knew his partner hated him just as much as he did. But an android with that much ruthless indifference made for a brutal tool and once Neil had promised him Elijah, Cole had begrudgingly fallen into line. 

Everyone had a price, even if they didn’t know it. 

He turned on his heel and pointedly ignored the hard brown eyes that glared at him, purposefully choosing not to answer as he made his way into Elijah’s residence. 

David was family, some distant cousin, but was really just a means to an end. Everyone was.

He wanted Gavin out of the DPD, was vaguely aware that DPD policy dictated that omegas had to take blockers if they wanted to keep any frontline job, but when he learnt that his police Captain was purposefully keeping him out of the line of fire, Neil had _ordered_ David to intervene. 

And he had, so now he had served his purpose. 

Plus, he wasn’t stupid, he knew Gavin and his partner were smart, so it would only be a matter time before they put two and two together and started looking into his extended family.

Neil moved through the sleek glass and convoluted layout of Elijah’s home. Finally arriving in one of the two kitchens the man had. A smirk crossed his face as he came to a rest against one of the counters, eyes roaming over the sleek black surfaces until they focused on the fridge. He spied a picture of Gavin and Elijah, stuck lamely onto the outside by a novelty magnet. 

It was the only photo the man had of him and his half-brother together. 

It was a faded piece of paper, curling at the edges and it was hidden away in the man’s secondary kitchen, not even in a frame. Funny how Elijah had managed to deceive himself into thinking that he was any different to the rest of his family was beyond him. 

Actions always spoke louder than words so to Neil? It was plain to see that the man was ashamed of having Gavin, having an _omega_ as a relative, just as much as his parents were. 

“ _Neil_.”

His eyes snapped towards David’s voice, the smirk quickly vanishing from his face as he studied the man with cold eyes. 

“David.” He answered in a carefully calculated voice, putting both hands into his pockets as he studied the man opposite him. The action clearly expressing that the tone in which he had spoken hadn’t affected him in the slightest.

“Treat me like a fucking errand boy again… We might be family, Neil, but you’re non-gendered and you’d be wise to remember your fucking place. You want to play weird games with that pathetic omega you’re fucking obsessed with? Do it yourself.” David snapped, voice angry, eyes glaring when the man didn’t so much as falter.

He moved forward, forcing himself into Neil’s personal space, forcing the man to give him the attention he thought he deserved. The cool expression remained on Neil’s face and only served to heighten David’s outrage.

“You might have everyone else fooled, but you don’t fucking fool me, _Neil_.”

“Oh?”

“You can’t fucking _change_ secondary genders and yet you’ve got everyone eating out of the palm of your fucking hand.”

Neil couldn’t help the cold smirk that started to form at the corners of his mouth. David caught onto it and in return, his eyes narrowed. 

“You alphas are all the same. At the mere hint of power-” The smirk at the corner of his lips twisted into something a little more maniacal. “-You all turn yourselves inside out.”

When David didn’t speak, Neil continued, his tone ice-cold. “Then you all have the audacity to claim that you’re so much better than everyone else, than the omegas you all hate. Yet you-” Neil took a step closer and coolly repeated his first line, “-are all the same.”

With that admission, it looked as though David was finally caught off guard, as though his stupid little brain finally realised exactly what was playing out.

Neil’s eyes flickered over to the entrance, noticing Cole lingering against the doorframe. Then, they focused back on the man in front of him.

“You say I should know my place, _be wise_ … And yet, you’re the one who came here alone.” 

David visibly swallowed, his bravado finally faltering.

Neil narrowed his eyes. “Nothing to say?” His cold voice managed to fill the confines of the kitchen.

A beat of silence passed before it appeared David finally found his voice.

“ _You wouldn’t fucking dare_.” 

A smile spread quickly across Neil’s face but it was hollow and vacant. 

_“Be wise._ ” Neil mocked again. He paused, his smile instantly disappearing. He turned, so he was now facing the counter. “You called a meeting of everyone involved in this… So where are they? Where’s Kamski? My parents? Your parents? The heavy hitters? Hm?” His tone was calculated and empty, almost like he was reading off instructions for something. 

Neil finally took his hands out of his pockets and picked up a kitchen knife from the block pushed up against the back wall. He studied it for a moment, the steel glinting in the hard light of the kitchen. 

“I don’t know what sick fucking game you’re playing but everyone will see right thro-”

Neil cut him off with a cold laugh. “ _No._ They really won’t.”

He lingered for just a moment before he carefully put the knife back and turned to face David once more. Cole had moved silently when he wasn’t looking and was standing fully behind the man now, prepared to make a move if he gave the word. 

Neil studied David for a second. He knew the man was just a means to an end and had ultimately served his purpose, but he was also enjoying this little dance the two of them were having. David’s feeble attempts at trying to outplay him were amusing and that vacant smile was back on his face.

“Tell me, do you think I’m leading you all on?” 

The sudden change in tack caused a frown to cross David’s face but it was quickly replaced by an irritated anger, Neil’s earlier threat already forgotten. “Oh, go fuck yourself, Neil. Is this what this is? You’ve got some giant chip on your shoulder? Your fucking childhood wasn’t that bad.”

What David had said was partly true. Sure, that’s what it had been about in the beginning.

Even though the trial had been a failure, it had been all Neil had needed. Everyone at CyberLife and LifeLine had been shortsighted to stop it but with his drive and money, it would allow him to claim what should have been his by birth. But it also allowed him to send a message, he technically didn’t have to kill anyone… But that wouldn’t have been any fun. And besides, he grabbed the attention of the people he needed.

“Some giant fucking chip on your shoulder and an obsession with a disgusting little omega.” David paused, a sneer on his face as his anger had seemingly managed to give him the confidence he needed. “Oh, don’t think I’ve forgotten about _him._ As soon as everyone here learns about your fixation with him, you’re fucking done for, I can assure you.”

He caught sight of the twinkle in Neil’s eye and mistook it for something he could use to his advantage. But what David took as weakness was a warning. Neil was going to kill him anyway, but now he had unwittingly touched a nerve and there was blood in the water.

“You think all the alphas you’ve courted will stand by while you play a twisted game of romance with an unruly dog?” David all but laughed in his face.

Neil never broke eye contact with the man as he spoke, his gaze never left David’s face as he tracked every move he made. There was no facade anymore, everything fake and vacant had melted away and the dark look in Neil’s eyes was unmistakable. A predator looking at its prey, yet David still didn’t have any idea.

“Yes, I do. _None_ of you will do anything until it’s too late to act… Take you for instance.” Neil paused, narrowing his eyes and Cole was instantly on the man, grabbing him so he couldn’t move. “You’re an alpha, David… You pride yourself on always being so untouchable, so fucking self-centered and egotistical; yet here you are, seconds away from your own death. Not having seen it until it’s much too late.” Cole shoved the man onto his knees.

The look of sheer panicked horror on David’s face would have been amusing, but Neil had moved beyond the need for entertainment. His cold eyes narrowed as he took stock of the man’s expression, watching as it changed from horror to acceptance. Cole pulled out the gun that he kept tucked behind in the waistband of his suit trousers and handed it Neil.

He studied it for a moment, a Colt 1911 that the android had strangely become attached to, before he flicked off the safety and cocked the hammer. Neil carefully placed the muzzle flush against David’s forehead, cleanly between his eyes.

“You’re all just a means to an end, David. And you… Well, you have served your purpose.”

~~\-------------~~

  
Gavin was currently sitting in a waiting room in hospital. 

Since his heat was officially over now, he had been quickly summoned for the results from the data that had been collected from when he had gone through it. 

He nibbled on his lip, eyes wondering up to the clock on the wall. The doctor he was supposed to be seeing was running late; his appointment should have been at 1.00 and it was now 1.30. Lucky enough Fowler had let him take the rest of the afternoon off, otherwise he supposed his ass would have definitely been in the firing line… _Again._

Gavin’s stomach was a bundle of nerves, doing tiny flip-flops as he watched the time tick by. He hated anything to do with doctors under normal circumstances, as far as he was concerned, he only ever saw them if he was dying and even then that was a big fucking if. 

Nines had offered to come with him and while he appreciated the gesture, Gavin had said he was fine. He might be an omega, might need that extra bit of reassurance every now and then, but he still wanted his independence. As he sat there in the waiting room, however, Gavin was mentally kicking himself that he hadn’t taken up the android’s offer.  
  
He knew he had gotten through his heat relatively fine, but when something seemed too good to be true, it usually was when he was concerned. Like the universe knew he was an asshole, had done bad, treated people like shit and didn’t deserve to be let off lightly. 

So Gavin was expecting bad news. Some metaphorical knife in his back as a reminder to not get too comfortable because he hadn’t fucking earned it.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted when someone walked across his line of sight. They were another patient, an omega - he could smell them - and he followed them with his eyes as they moved to a free seat to his left. 

Gavin sniffed, their unassuming yet warm scent lingering in his nostrils slightly as he scrunched up his nose, as though their scent acted as a mild annoyance and he pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket. 

Like his mind wasn’t preoccupied with shit already, it was almost like he subconsciously wanted to make himself worse and he immediately went to the messages between him and Neil.

He had texted the man two days ago. 

Gavin didn’t know what compelled him to do it… Well he did, kind of. Some weird twisted idea had come into his head that getting in contact with the man who had literally turned his life upside down and was obsessed with him, was a good idea. That he could turn the man’s obsession with him on its head, catch the guy and that somehow, it would all be okay.

But life wasn’t an idealistic fairytale. 

He had seen Neil’s reply; just his name like how he had texted him his. So that meant he still had the man’s attention, not like he’d ever lost it anyway. Gavin wished he could forget about it, treat it like a dream that could easily be laughed about and glossed over. 

A fucking stupid, compulsive action that lasted all of two seconds, but one that he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about. Neil had burrowed his way into his brain like a parasite, but Gavin had been the one who had opened the door this time and let him in. 

He didn’t tell Nines, even though he was sure his partner could tell _something_ was wrong. He kept asking, kept shooting silent looks his way and it was only when Gavin had told him to fuck off with this particular brand of babying did his kind-of-boyfriend finally drop the subject. 

He didn’t tell Fowler. He didn’t tell Tina. He didn’t tell anyone. 

Gavin wouldn’t tell anyone until his back was up against the wall and it was too late to do anything. Just like with his aversion to doctors and hospitals, Gavin largely liked to ignore a problem, he was just stubborn and stupid enough to naively hope that it would go away on it’s own, instead of growing into something that would ultimately be a hundred times worse. 

Neil; he had managed to quietly get his foot in the door. The interrogation had been all the man needed, words were a powerful tool and Neil knew exactly what he had been saying; just enough that he had been able to start to worm his way under Gavin’s skin and sink in his claws. 

Gavin thought he had text him under his own volition, but he was already starting to get twisted around the man’s finger. Neil wouldn’t stop until Gavin was his in one way or another. 

And Gavin? He was stubborn enough that he’d put up just enough of a fight that he’d end up broken.

That was the worst kind of downfall; the one that disguised itself as good intentions so you thought you could control it, the one you couldn’t see until it was too late, its unrelenting embrace shattering you into millions of tiny irreparable pieces but you’re just too blinded to realise.

As his thumb hovered over the messages, Gavin felt as though he was still in control. It was as though he were still standing at the mouth of a forest, but little did he know that he had already strayed into the trees and the path behind him was quickly getting lost.

Biting his lip, Gavin pulled his face into a grimace as he shoved his phone back into his pocket with an annoyed huff. He was nervous enough already, there was no point in amplifying that. He could feel the constant tugging at the pit of his stomach and fucking hated every second of it, so he decided to do actually do the smart thing for once and he put his phone away

Gavin eyed the clock again. 

Another ten minutes had managed to creep by. 

His gaze wandered down and lingered on the reception desk for this floor. Everything was too quiet - the relative calm of the person manning the station, the starkly clinical sense of clean, that overly fake sense of optimism hanging in the air - it made Gavin feel uncomfortable. 

_He fucking hated hospitals_. 

He shoved his hands into his pockets with a sigh and stretched out his legs as his thoughts drifted, his mind finally doing him a solid as he thought about the case. 

Yesterday, they had spoken with four of the group they had managed to come up with and un-fucking-suprisingly, they came up with nothing. 

It was fruitless as every alpha they spoke to remained tightlipped and steadfast, some of them even going as far as to threaten legal action if they came back for further questioning without ‘proper documents’.

It was what Gavin had been expecting, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t any less frustrating. It was almost as if the world didn’t care, like everyone was okay with what Neil was doing because it didn’t really push against the status quo. 

Clearly, the deaths of a few alphas was nothing compared to whatever Neil was promising and that made something hard settle in the pit of Gavin’s stomach as he waited. 

_What was Neil planning?_ _What was he offering if alphas would look the other way over the deaths of their own?_ There was so much else he could focus on; he had friends who cared about him, a boyfriend that would turn himself inside out for him, hell, he still hadn’t caught up with Elijah - his _fucking brother_ \- but lately, his mind appeared to be rather adamant on not giving him a break for a single fucking second.

“Mr. Reed?”

A rather stern voice cut through his thoughts.

 _Fucking finally_.

His gaze travelled over to a serious looking middle-aged man. A doctor, his overall demeanour was etched clearly on his face, his brows pulled into an almost permanent frown as he stared impatiently down his glasses that were perched on the rim of his nose as he cast his eyes about the waiting room. A slight frown crossed Gavin’s face.

_Where's Rachel? She was nice, this guy looks like a fucking cu-_

He cut off his thoughts with sigh and pulled himself up out of the chair that he’d been slouched in for the last hour and a half. Fuck, how was he not numb from slouching for so long? He made his way over to where the man was waiting and flashed him a fake grin. 

“That’s me, doc.”

“I’m Dr. Peter Kamski, Rachel is off sick so I’m handling all of her patients.” He answered curtly.

_Kamski, huh? Bet that must fucking suck._

Gavin was about to open his mouth, make a snide comment to calm his nerves but quickly decided against it. If he had taken Kamski as his last name instead of keeping his father’s, the no end of jokes and teasing would have driven him up the fucking wall, so really, he did feel for the guy. The man must have caught his hesitation because he saw a slight look of tired irritation flash momentarily over his features. 

“And no… before you ask, there’s no relation. If you’ll follow me, please.” Peter continued with a sigh.

“Wasn’t gonna say anything. Just hope you’ve got some good news for me, that’s all.” Gavin answered with a brief smile.

He watched the doctor return his expression but caught the bluntness around the edges and it did little to calm the butterflies in his stomach. They were silent as Gavin followed the man towards his office, silent as they sat down at his desk and it was only when they were both sitting comfortably, Peter having skimmed through his file for a few moments, did the man finally break the silence. 

“Well, Mr. Reed, you’ll be pleased to know that, under your circumstances, your heat is relatively normal."

Gavin let out a breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding, but before he could say anything in return, the doctor continued.

“From the data collected by the monitor you were wearing, it seems that your body has adapted well to your new norm, Mr. Reed. However-” _Oh no_ “-there is _some_ bad news.” 

_No. No. No_.

Fear quickly rose up within him. He could feel his leg twitching, time seemed to slow down, there was a lump in his throat and his heart was beating at a hundred miles per fucking hour. 

If Gavin opened his mouth there and then, he wasn’t sure what would come out; a string of curses or silence as he tried his best to not have an anxiety induced breakdown as his mind started to race through the worst possible outcomes of whatever-the-fuck the doc was going to say. 

He just fucking prayed he wasn’t going to cry.

“Mr. Reed? Do you need a moment?”

Peter’s voice cut through his thoughts. Gavin realised he had just been staring vacantly into space, chewing on his lip as he rested his chin in one of his hands, his thoughts swirling and fucking swirling. Well, he had managed to survive; everything was normal, well for him anyway, so how bad could it be? 

_Terrible because the universe fucking hates you._

He pushed down his thoughts and swallowed. “Bad news?” 

“Yes-”

_Oh god, what the fuck could it be?_

“-you’re already aware that the mimicker somehow managed to latch onto your glands, altered the balance and chemistry in your brain so that you’re constantly in your climax for the duration of your heat-” 

_God, I fucking bet he’s gonna say that I’m dying._

“-however, what we were _not_ able to detect or predict-”

_Oh, fuck. I’m gonna fucking die. I bet this stupid fucking mimicker has given me cancer or it’s gonna make my dick fall off or something fucking stupid. God, it’s gonna make my fucking dick fall off… FUCKING SHIT._

“-is the fact that you’ll no longer be able to undergo heats alone. You’ll need an alpha, and it _has_ to be an alpha, to help see you through them otherwise your body simply _will_ _not_ be able to cope-”

_Wait… Did he just say I won’t be able to go through heats alone?_

“Sorry, doc... Can I stop you there? Did you just say that I won’t be able to go through heats alone?” Gavin finally found his voice. Albeit shaky.

_You’re mine, Gavin._

Neil’s voice cut through his thoughts like a fucking knife and Gavin couldn’t help but fixate on it. 

“Yes, you’ll specifically need an alpha to help you through your heats every month, Mr. Reed. Now-”

It didn’t matter that Neil wasn’t an alpha, it didn’t matter that he could, y’know, fucking die and it certainly didn’t fucking matter that Gavin could have logically thought through what the doctor was actually telling him at that moment because his mind had already zeroed in on the wrong thing. He could be told literally anything now and he wouldn’t listen to it. Neil had overtaken everything. 

Just like always, lately. 

_Is this what Neil had meant?_

“-as far as we’re aware, the mimicker hasn’t affected your bondsite. It seemed as if it tried during your heat and would have caused no end of complications if it had, but luckily for you, it’s molecular structure simply wasn’t robust enough to both affect your heats _and_ alter the way in which you’d bond to a potential partner as an omega-”

The doctor’s rambling had long since disappeared into background noise, not that Gavin was focused much on it anyway. 

The thought that Neil had known and ultimately staged it this way since the beginning had entered his brain and now it wouldn’t leave because it would conveniently explain _everything._

Gavin was only human and they always had the fucking tendency to latch onto even the smallest of things if they thought that they could be used to explain something they couldn’t quite comprehend. 

He knew Neil’s obsession with him stemmed with the strange notion that the man believed they were two sides of the same coin or something; he knew Neil felt some twisted sense of kinship because the man had all but admitted that to him when he had him tied up in that warehouse all those weeks ago. 

Neil had said that the only reason Gavin was there was because he wanted him to trigger a corresponding heat in Amelia, so he could harvest the alpha gland he needed in its peak. But as his mind continued to focus on the wrong thing, Gavin couldn’t help but begin to question logic.

“Mr. Reed?” 

“Huh?” Gavin blinked, pulling himself out of his train of thought as Peter’s voice finally broke through to him again.

A slightly irritated look flashed over Peter’s face but it quickly disappeared as the man forced himself to put on a more understanding expression. People had different ways of dealing with sudden and unexpected news. 

“I said, you’ll be pleased to know that since your body seems to be in overall good health, this will be the only appointment you’ll have to attend.” He explained carefully.

Gavin was sure he had missed something else important but fuck if he could actually get his brain to focus, calm down and think for five minutes.

“You’re already aware that you can’t take any blocking medication, but do you need any more antidepressants?” Peter continued.

He couldn’t help but frown at the doctor’s question, the defensive feeling that started to rise up within him was almost like an automated response at this point. He pushed down his irritation, because it was the fucking guy’s job to ask for fuck sake and Gavin simply shook his head.

“Well, in that case, I think we’re done.” Gavin watched as the man scribbled something on the file on his desk, the file that was full of his medical history and god knows what else. “Just hand this to the woman at the reception desk on your way out and if you find anything unexpected happens in relation to your heats, just call your doctor and they’ll refer you back to us if they need to.” Peter finished politely, holding out the folder with a curt smile. 

Gavin roused himself from the chair, pulling himself up without a word and took the file with a curt nod of his head. It took all of five minutes for him to hand it in to reception and he was now standing outside, scrolling through his phone. 

He hadn’t actually been in the doctor’s office for long, but in that space of time, he had managed to miss six calls from Nines and one from Elijah. He tapped on Nines’ number, a slight frown on his face as he held up the phone to his ear - he’d call his brother later - and it wasn’t long before he heard the android pick up on the other end. 

“Nines?”  
  
Gavin listened intently as his partner explained what had prompted six calls in the first place. There had been a murder and it involved their case. 

He was supposed to be having the rest of the afternoon off but of course the universe seemed intent on fucking him over. At this point, he was certain that the world just wanted to watch him suffer.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

~~\-------------~~

  
  


Nines had been there since one in the afternoon. It was now a quarter to two. 

He had offered to go with Gavin to the hospital but the man had refused his offer. Considering the slightly stand-offish mood his partner had been in for the last few days, he had been rather polite... and logical.

With the case they were now working, he argued that it was stupid for the two of them to go. Nines knew Gavin hated hospitals, he had learnt it one evening pretty quickly after his hospitalisation when they were up and just snuggling on his couch. But he also knew that once the man had made up his mind about something, there was no changing it.

So Nines had watched him go, with an overly friendly clap to his back and slightly too cocky attitude as he said, “I’ll be fine, tin can” when he left, so he immediately knew Gavin was just putting on a front. The man had made it perfectly clear that he didn’t want to be babied, and whilst he appreciated the sentiment, he also said that Nines didn’t have to be there for him constantly.

As he studied the scene before him, Nines frowned minutely as he got further lost in his thoughts. He had called his partner six times and was going to attempt a seventh but ultimately decided against it. A software instability indicator popped up in his vision and he blinked it away and quite frankly, Nines was rather surprised to see it. 

He hadn’t seen one since he had been with Gavin in hospital, the same day he had updated his relationship status with the man. Like that action had been the last piece of the puzzle in his deviancy, the one he had needed to settle the conflict in his programming and allowed him to cement his purpose and sense of identity.

What Gavin had said was true, the man was an adult and he didn’t need constant hand-holding, but there was also a difference between avoidance because you were unsure of how to deal with something and flat out denial. 

Nines would be there for him when or if he ever needed help dealing with what he was going through. He would be there if Gavin ever wanted to talk about his past, not that it was important to who he was now. 

Nines would always be there if Gavin wanted him. 

But he couldn’t help but feel that with what had happened within the space of the last month, that Gavin was moving between that very fine line that existed between those two similar things. Perhaps this feeling was what prompted the software error, instead of moving forward, it almost felt like Gavin was purposefully moving backwards and Nines wasn’t quite sure what to do.

His grey eyes studied the note that had been left on the body, his mind managing to zone out the techs and bustle surrounding the body and that feeling grew. His partner was an infuriating man at times and an even more infuriating omega, but that’s just who the man was and Nines wouldn’t have it any other way. He just hoped that Gavin managed to work through whatever was bothering him before he ultimately lost himself to whatever he was going through. 

Nines felt sadness wrap itself around his circuits as he ran preliminary scans, ready for when Gavin finally did arrive.  
  
When he had first arrived on the scene, the body had been trussed up and hung from an old rusted support beam; arms strapped to it with heavy duty rope so the corpse almost resembled a crucifixion. All that was missing were the stigmata. 

They told him that the victim had been dead for roughly about twelve or thirteen hours, so that would put the time of death at between two and three in the morning. Cause of death was a singular bullet wound to the skull and the burn marks around the impact site told Nines that the gun had been fired point blank. 

The stab wounds to the torso had been carried out post mortem, however, and the words that glitched and shifted, making up the message that had been left, managed to turn the dark and congealed blood underneath a disgusting shade of purple.

Considering who the victim was, it was only natural that Nines and Gavin be called to handle the resulting investigation. Nines knew that the man had taken the rest of the afternoon off, but after getting into contact with Fowler, the Captain had made the call and deemed it necessary for his partner to be brought in. 

An incoming call alert from Gavin suddenly flooded his vision.

He heard the man call his name immediately when he picked up and hearing his voice managed to settle something in him he didn’t know was there; maybe Nines had been doing the very human thing of worrying about the man. 

He politely explained the situation, said he’d text him the address once they had hung up and Gavin said he would be there as soon as he could.

When he sent the location to his partner, Nines had half been expecting a text in return telling him to fuck off. The body had been dumped in the old CyberLife warehouse in Reid Park, the one Gavin had been tied up and spiked in. 

Since the case was ongoing, anything connected to Neil and what happened was monitored in some way. The police presence around the warehouse had long since disappeared but that didn’t mean the DPD had completely disbanded - the wonders of technology and all that. 

The alert had been sent in the early hours of the morning but for whatever reason, it hadn’t been passed along until early that afternoon. Either no one cared or whoever took the call delayed it as long as they could without it raising suspicion. If Neil’s processing to trial managed to get tampered with, then Nines figured that delaying access to a crime scene to hinder an ongoing investigation was nothing. 

Choosing the warehouse to stage the corpse wasn’t a coincidence, it was a careful choice.

Being in such a familiar location made a hard feeling settle in Nines’ circuits. This was a game Nines and Gavin were playing and just when they thought they were getting a foothold, they were cruelly reminded that they held none of the cards and were scrambling to play catch up. 

Nines’ eyes lingered for a moment, taking in everything one last time before he moved through the expansive space; past the broken machinery and out into the courtyard to wait for his partner’s arrival. 

Five minutes later had him watching as Gavin’s car turned in from the street and carefully pulled up beside him. The man shot him a frown as he climbed out his car, quickly closing the door behind himself before he saddled up alongside his partner. They stood in silence for a few minutes, Gavin using that time to take stock of the situation he found himself in.

“If I’m gonna be perfectly honest with you, Nines… I wasn’t expectin’ to see this place again so soon.” Nines caught the roughness to Gavin’s voice and turned to look at him. His partner was studying the outside of the building, his eyes focused on one particular area by a rusted old exit door. 

It had been the same one that Gavin had entered through. Nines remembered the taunt that had been splashed across the outside in blue blood; the one that lured Gavin in, acting as the herald of the thirty minutes that had subsequently changed the rest of his life. 

“Did you get good news?” Nines asked, deciding to try and draw his partner’s attention, wanting to try to get him to focus on something different and not fixate on something that would no doubt act as a trigger for unpleasant memories. 

Gavin faltered, scrunching up his nose as he pulled a face before he turned, his features pulled into a slight scowl as he looked at his partner. He caught the twinkle in Nines’ eyes, the small yet concerned smile on the android’s face and his mind finally caught up and properly digested his partner’s question.  
  
“I- uh… Yeah, everything’s… it’s fine, I’m good.” Gavin matched Nines’ smile with a tired one of his own but the android didn’t seem convinced. He forced himself to relax with a sigh, shoving his hands into his pockets as he turned his attention back to the warehouse in front of him. “I got the all clear… well, okay, there is one thing, it’s not bad per say but…I..” Gavin trailed off and sighed, clearly struggling with whatever he was trying to say. “Not here, Nines… I- We’ll talk about it when we’re both off the clock, okay?” 

“Of course.” The sincerity that Nines answered with prompted Gavin to bump his shoulder gently against him, huffing out an amused breath through his nose. And the awkward feeling that had managed to settle between them slightly melted away just a fraction. 

“Come on, let’s get this fuckin’ over with.” Gavin grunted as he drew his jacket tighter around himself.

He made his way towards the building, felt his partner behind him and his mind started to wonder. Nines had vaguely described the scene to him before he left the hospital. The vic was male, had been pinned up and put on display like a Thanksgiving turkey but wouldn’t say much more than that, had said that it was best seen and explained in person. So to say he wasn’t prepared for the sight that greeted him was a fucking understatement. 

It was David. 

The alpha that had been in Fowler’s office two days ago with a holier than thou attitude and now he was fucking dead. 

“God _fucking_ damn it.” Gavin didn’t shout his frustrations, but the hard tone he had spoken in was unmissable. 

The two of them walked over to the head tech that was lingering to the left of David’s body. Forensics had set up a make-shift office which basically was just a fucking folding table that housed their equipement and Gavin grabbed a pair of evidence gloves, pulling them as he nodded his head to the guy in a way of a greeting.  
  
“Anything we should know?” He asked, voice rough as his irritation lingered.

“Whoever killed this poor fuck has certainly got it in for you two, I can say that much. But Nines here has probably already compiled any preliminary findings, you can ask him.” 

“Thanks.”

“No problem, you need something more extensive? You know where to find us.”

Gavin nodded again before he turned and made his way to David’s body. As he drew closer, he saw what prompted the tech to say exactly what he had said. 

There was another message; the CyberLife Sans font shifted and glitched and Gavin didn’t even have to read it to know it had been left by Neil. 

_Neil had killed him_.

 **_GO BACK TO CHASING YOUR TAILS._ ** **_  
_** **_I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING._ ** **_  
_** **_THIS IS A DEAD END._ **

Gavin read the message. 

How the fuck could he have known their line of questioning? The direction of their investigation? Had they not been careful enough or had they grossly underestimated the man? 

“Fucking, _Christ_ , Nines.”

“David had been strapped to the girder above before he got taken down.”

Gavin’s eyes flickered up the rusted support beam before he gingerly crouched down next to David’s corpse. His eyes were immediately drawn to the bullethole in his forehead, the burn marks and size of the entry wound indicated that Neil had placed the gun flush against the man’s skull before he pulled the trigger. 

“Cause of death?” He posed.

“Correct.” Nines answered.

“What about these?” Gavin indicated to the stab wounds with an index finger.

“Post mortem.” 

Neil didn’t strike him as the type of man to enjoy that kind of thing. He was a sociopathic sadist, sure, but every time Gavin had spoken with him, the man always seemed calculated; like he knew exactly what to say and when to say it. 

The post mortem wounds indicated a level of violence that almost seemed at odds with the man’s carefully presented disposition and Gavin couldn’t help but frown. He chewed on his lip as his thoughts started to spin.

“Any idea why Neil went to town on the guy’s stomach?” He asked eventually.

“No. You disliked him, perhaps Neil hated him as well?” Nines’ answer caused Gavin to stand and turn to look at his partner.

“Hey, I disliked the guy because he was a fuckin’ prick, Nines, but that doesn’t mean I wanted the guy dead.” He couldn’t help the slightly defensive tone as he bit back. 

He shot the android a frown, holding Nines’ gaze for just a moment before he crossed his arms and turned back to face David with a shake of his head.

There hadn’t been any malicious tone to Nines’ voice when he had answered, so Gavin wasn’t sure where the need to defend himself had come from. Being back in the warehouse, Gavin was trying his hardest to not let everything from that day come crashing back in on him that perhaps he was trying just a little _too_ hard. 

“You seem to have misunderstood. I meant that perhaps you are trying to apply reason to a situation that doesn’t call for it. It could just be as simple as Neil not liking the man.” His partner clarified. 

“Yeah, sure, but aren’t you the one always saying to not jump to conclusions?”

Gavin swallowed down his mood.

The demons that had dogged him since that day, the thoughts that had never quite left, he could feel them dancing closer and closer. He was seconds away from lashing out or having some sort of breakdown, he could feel it. 

Gavin took in a deep breath through his nose, Nines’ alpha scent filling his nostrils as he closed his eyes and it allowed him to center himself for a moment.

But when he opened them again, it wasn’t David he saw, it was himself. 

Bullethole clean between the eyes, body spent and slumped over after Neil had gotten what he needed out of him. It made something hard clench itself around his gut and suddenly Gavin felt like he couldn’t breathe. 

He watched as a reflection danced across his face, the light ghosting over his vacant eyes, his mouth hung open in a plea for help that would never come. 

He _should_ have been killed that day. When the world keeps telling you that you should be dead, after long enough, you start believing that idea.  
  
As he looked at himself, Gavin’s throat felt tight and no matter what he tried, his chest wouldn’t move. He tried to open his mouth to speak but faltered as an acidic burn quickly crept its way up, catching as a lump in the back of his throat.  
  
God, he was going to be fucking sick. 

He wanted to reach out for Nines, to support himself against his partner’s body and force himself to breathe but his arms wouldn’t fucking move.  
  
 _God, I’m going to be sick, I’m going to be fucking sick… fucking Jesus Chri-_

“ _Gavin?_ ”

Nines’ voice cut through his thoughts and it managed to slightly break him out of the panic that suddenly descended on him out of nowhere. He blinked, his vision was blurry but he saw David back in front of him. 

“Outside. Take a five minute break, I’ll wait here.”

Gavin nodded numbly in understanding before he headed quickly towards the exit, walking almost like he was on autopilot. He strode quickly across the courtyard which was luckily empty, strode past his car and came to stop by a wall, the furthest away from the entrance warehouse he possibly could make it, before he hunched over and vomited into a small patch of grass. 

If you could even call it that. 

He hadn’t eaten lunch, so all that his stomach could offer up was bile instead, burning at his throat and as he heaved, tears pricked in the corners of his eyes.

He coughed up all that he could, gasping out breaths as he eyed the pathetic, yellow glob that clung to the weeds. That distinctive acid burn lingered heavily in his throat by the time he was done, the unmistakable smell also got caught in his nose and he wiped his mouth on his sleeve with a rather pathetic grimace.

Gavin could just about deal with himself doing it, but there was something about the whole ordeal that set his nerves on edge. It made something uncomfortably giddy settle in his stomach as he made his way back towards his car, twirling around before he rested against the hood of his car with a heavy sigh. There was still a slight tremble in his legs as he stretched them out and yeah, okay, fucking sue him, but Gavin might have a slight fear of vomiting. Shit was gross.

He tipped his head back and looked at the sky for a few moments. 

He fucking needed to calm the fuck down.

It was at times like this he wished he still smoked. It would have been the perfect outlet to soothe his lingering stress, but he had quit five years ago and hadn’t touched a cigarette since. 

So instead, Gavin rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, ignoring the dull jolt of pleasure that shot through his skin as he rubbed over his bond site. He rolled his shoulders, bringing his head back down and brought his hand back down to his side. 

Yep, he definitely wasn’t prepared to be back here so soon. He couldn’t fucking believe he had thrown up and was just glad that no one had been around to see it. 

Gavin leant to the side, reaching into his jacket pocket with a sniff as he pulled out his phone. 

Since he didn’t fucking smoke anymore, he needed something to preoccupy himself as he sat outside and cooled off. He frowned as he settled back down and saw that he had a new message. He unlocked his phone and the text instantly popped up on the screen.

> _Have you found David by now?  
>  Before he died, I learnt that he caused you some problems at work. So, consider his death my gift to you, Gavin.  
> Speak soon. _

Neil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took a bit longer than expected!  
> Hope you all enjoy and are all staying safe <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An omega and two alphas walk into an apartment...  
> A very plot heavy chapter this one, hope you all enjoy!

_They had been working together towards this for months._

_Elijah had overseen the talks between the two companies personally. When LifeLine had reached out and asked if CyberLife were interested in looking into secondary gender, the man couldn’t resist._

_CyberLife was leading in the tech field, their androids were second to none and the company had its dominance over the market go uncontested. They had androids in almost every home, stores in every city and had even managed to influence government policy on androids, helping to shape the American Androids Act that was passed in 2029._

_And when CyberLife revolutionised android secondary-gender in 2030, when they finally perfected their synthetic secondary-gender biocomponent, it allowed them complete and total market dominance._

_But the one area they still had to branch into was_ **_human_ ** _secondary gender care._

_Elijah had his eyes on LifeLine ever since they released blockers to the market in 2021._

_Two small little pills that had practically changed the world overnight, almost like his androids. One blocked an omega’s scent and the other stopped an omega’s heat. They changed the game and allowed Lifeline to become the leaders in their respective field._

_They eventually spearheaded the equality movement that brought in no end of new secondary gender laws, that toppled alphas from their pedestals of power; but that didn’t matter, because in the end, it was always about the money._

_The production of blockers netted LifeLine a fortune, allowing them to corner their own market._

_Elijah had always been after an excuse to approach LifeLine, to acquire them and merge the two companies, so when their CEO came to him, he jumped at the opportunity._

_Two giants, both with monopolies in their respective markets, coming together and Elijah would essentially own both companies. CyberLife controlled the tech and android market and now it would have almost total control over the secondary-gender market._

_Once the terms were finalised, all it took were a few signatures along a few dotted lines and it was done._

_That was how Elijah was currently standing inside a warehouse that CyberLife had procured, at 6 in the morning. It was situated in the old Marina District, in Reid Park._

_After months and months of secret talks, after months of preliminary testing, they were finally ready to move forward with human trials._

_Being the first company to offer secondary-gender modification would mean that he would have people coming to queue up from miles around and besides, Elijah knew other companies had started to look into it. As a CEO, you always heard rumours. If you were doing something new, something that could net you millions in profit, you always had to be the first._

_There had to be a strange sense of irony in staging the modification trials in a place called Reid Park, Elijah thought. He watched with a cool sense of disinterest as Amelia strode over to where he was standing, the two of them in the observation lounge that overlooked the medical theatre. He shot the woman a curt smile as his thoughts trailed off, wondering if his half-brother would ever line up for something like this._

_Elijah hadn’t spoken to Gavin in years, but knowing how the man had always despised his secondary-gender, he figured he probably would. Of course he fucking would, nobody wanted to be an omega, it was something that always went unsaid but something that everyone always seemed to know._

_Nobody wanted to be an omega._

_That was how they had justified moving forward with the modification trials even though the preliminary tests had been more for show than anything else. It was how they justified the talks that had gone on behind closed doors, the talks that had more often than not, devolved into sexist and derogatory conversation concerning omegas and betas because of course they fucking would._

_Hell, it was how they justified continuing something that was now expressly illegal, the laws banning any kind of research into secondary-gender modification having come into effect a few days ago._

_Nobody wanted to be an omega._

_Once they perfected the process and deemed it safe for the public, CyberLife and LifeLine would be offering a medical service and most importantly, that was how Elijah justified it._

_It couldn’t fail._

_Besides, he had invested in far too much money to allow this to fail._

_Many people in this field wouldn’t want to see their research fail as it would hinder the lives of thousands that were relying on it to work properly, but Elijah didn’t want his money to go to waste._

_As much as he pretended otherwise, he didn’t care about omegas because deep down, Eljah only cared about company image and profit._ **_  
_**_  
__“We can begin when you give the word.” Amelia's voice broke through the silence._

_Elijah quickly pushed down his thoughts because if he let them fester for too long, then his god complex would set in and he would definitely give more consideration to those slightly darker ideas that constantly swirled around his head._

_At least, that’s what his therapist told him._

_Recently, he had been trying to reign in his ego and get over himself, to turn over that new leaf he had only previously talked about. If he put on the face of an approachable and nice alpha enough times, hopefully that mentality would soon come naturally._

_He had to start caring instead of just pretending._

_They would do this safely._

_They would start with omegas first, one test at a time, one human subject at a time._

_Elijah peered down at the man that was sitting in the room below them. He was young, not even past his thirties, sitting in the middle of a stark white room, on top of an operating table, surrounded by four glass walls like he was a goddamn prisoner on display._

_He watched as the young man tugged nervously at the one the sleeves on the light blue medical gown he was wearing, clearly waiting for whatever was going to happen._

_It had been identified that omegas would be the group to present the most challenges. Even though each secondary-gender had their own unique biology that interacted in tandem with their respective hormones, omegas were by far the most complex._

_Everything was so tightly connected to their heats, to their hormones, their drives; their bodies were specifically designed and geared towards that monthly process on a biological level in a way that no other secondary-gender was._

_Standard omega hormone blockers only worked by inhibiting hormone production, they didn’t get rid of it completely. That’s how the pills that LifeLine created worked._

_So, if they wanted to modify a secondary-gender in an omega completely, they first had to get rid of their natural hormones entirely._

_Since everything in an omega was geared towards their heats, that also provided the answer. Before they could do anything else, it was decided that they’d have to trigger an almost ‘superheat’ in an omega. It would essentially cause them to burn through their hormones, offering up a blank slate for the rest of the procedure to work on._

_Elijah leaned forward, putting his left hand in his trouser pocket as he reached forward with the other and pressed the intercom button on the wall in front of him just underneath the glass. “How are you doing, Richard?”_

_“I guess I’m doing okay, El- Mr. Kamski... Sir.”_

_Richard’s nervous voice filtered through the intercom speaker and Elijah shot the man a reassuring smile through the viewing window._

_Amelia caught his eye to the side and he shot Richard an apologetic look. “We just need to do a few last minute checks and we’ll get right to it.” He stepped back, took his finger off the buzzer and strode over to stand by her side._

_It wasn’t like he was putting on a mask, but as soon as Elijah moved away, the empathy quickly disappeared, leaving something that could be considered more traditionally alpha - something infinitely more cold and calculatingly ruthless._

_He looked at Amelia with a cool sense of disinterest as he shoved his other hand into his pockets; they were two alphas and this was how business was conducted._

_She mirrored his body language the best she could._

_There was a cool glint in her eye as she stood in her form fitting suit, the blood-red fabric of her jacket hugging her hips, working in tandem with the pencil skirt she wore to accentuate her figure. Her right hand rested underneath her chin, the elbow resting on her arm that was hugged tight to her chest. Her fingers snaked around her cheek and mouth as her expression turned shrewd. “This compound of yours, are you one hundred percent sure it will work?”_

_Elijah shot her a smirk._

_The compound she was referring to was something CyberLife R &D had come up with, a project that he had overseen personally. Afterall, _ **_he_ ** _came up with the formula._

_It was an exogenic agonist-stimulant, what a fucking mouthfull that was, one that would bind to the omega’s receptors in their brain and trigger hormone production at an exceptional rate. It would essentially cause the omega to enter a mock heat, one that was a lot more intense in the hopes that they would burn through their hormones._

_That was the theory, anyway._

_It was crude, a red powder that could be inhaled or diluted down into a serum and injected straight into the patient’s bloodstream. Elijah was pretty sure it could also be crystalised, not that that would help the trial but the possibility was there._

_“The numbers have been run countless times, what do you take CyberLife for? Take me for? The CEO of QuantiCorp?” Elijah couldn’t keep the smugness out of his voice as he answered._

_Amelia’s lip curled into a curt smile and Elijah huffed out an amused laugh through his nose. QuantiCorp was infamous amongst Detroit’s elite. Cage, their CEO was full of flash and no substance and his company was much the same. They were known for cutting corners wherever they could and often offered subpar products._

_To be compared to them was always meant as an insult and nothing more._

_“Touche.” Amelia paused, eyes sizing the man in front of her for just a moment before she continued, “The addition of Thirium, any scientific value? Or was it simply added as a… Signature, of sorts?” Her voice was coy as she held his gaze. She was seeing just how far she could push this partnership and Elijah knew that as he barked out a sharp laugh._

_“Can’t it be both?” He answered._

_When CyberLife had been refining Thirium for its use in Thirium 310 or ‘blue blood’ for its androids, it had been discovered that it had a highly destabilizing effect on hormone production in humans and in this trial, that was perfect. Elijah never thought he’d see the day where such a negative could be spun into a positive, but here he was._

_Thirium would destabilize and inhibit hormone production enough in omegas that they could burn through them and then they would have that blank slate they were after._

_Plus, everyone knew that Thirium was a Kamski breakthrough, something so CyberLife, something that was often imitated but never bettered and if this trial succeeded, Elijah wanted to leave his mark on it in more ways than one._

_And this one couldn’t be erased or forgotten. It would last forever._

_Amelia’s eyes twinkled. She was constantly scheming, constantly planning and in that regard, the man had nothing but respect for her. “Have you given any thought about applying this compound outside of this trial? Refine it somewhat and you’ve got endless possibilities, Elijah.” A wickedly smooth grin spread across her face and Elijah matched it with one of his own._

_It seemed as though they were on the same page._

_If it were refined and tweaked a small amount, the compound could be made into a mimicker of sorts. The market, both legitimate and otherwise, was practically begging for something that mimicked heats. Not to mention, if a highly addictive substance were added, it could easily become something that people could get hooked and dependent on._

_“I’m well aware, but let’s focus on one thing at a time, shall we?” Elijah answered, his lips curled further into a smirk before he turned on his heel and made his way back over to the intercom. “We need to make sure that Richard here survives before we get too ahead of ourselves.”_

_This had to work, they had run the numbers countless times._

_He turned his head to the side, finger resting on the buzzer as he shot Amelia one last look before he turned back to face the observation window._ _  
__  
__“We’re all prepped and ready to go this end, Richard. Are you ready to start?” Elijah slipped back into that comforting voice that was full of reassurance so easily._

_He was getting rather good at this faking being kind thing._

_He watched the young man slowly nod his head and Elijah nodded his in agreement. He motioned to the doctors that were standing by various different machines that were stationed around the outside perimeter of the glass-walled room that the young omega was sat in._

_They immediately got to work, one half the floor was dedicated to administering and monitoring the compound as well as other external factors. The other was in charge of observing the patient and their vitals._

_Elijah watched as the compound was pumped into the space, it quickly filled the area and stopped just before it became overwhelming. It lingered for a few minutes, allowing Richard to inhale it, allowing it to work its way into his lungs and subsequently into his bloodstream before it was swiftly pumped from the room._

_Even though it was glass, it had been designed to be air-tight._

_There was a pneumatically sealed airlock door system that served as the only way in and out. The walls were six inches thick and had been expertly molded and blended into the stark white floor, meaning that none of the attending medical staff would be affected by the mating scent and hormones that Richard’s body would produce._

_Every precaution had been taken._

_All the simulations and tests beforehand had said that this was going to work. That this was going to be fine, that nothing was going to go wrong._

_One of the machines bleeped._

_“Subject continues to read normal, blood pressure is 110 over 70 and heart rate reads at 70bpm. Temperature also normal.”_

_Another bleep._

_“Wait a minute. We’re having some spikes.”_

_No one could have predicted how quickly the situation was going to deteriorate._

_The change practically came out of nowhere. There was a sudden hike in Richard’s body temperature; the compound creating a much more visceral reaction than the one they had been expecting. It created a mock heat that the young man’s body literally couldn’t keep up with._

_Alarms quickly replaced the silence._

_“His body literally cannot keep up with what’s happening! His temperature is at_ _104 degrees and climbing! His heart rate is 120bpm and continues to increase!”_

_All Elijah and Amelia could was watch on as the situation unfolded._

_The omega was supposed to burn through their hormones and survive, it was supposed to work because all the numbers had pointed to success. They were so confident in their endeavor that they hadn’t thought of contingencies; Richard had signed a disclosure agreement, had accepted that there was a risk of death, so why did it matter?_

_After all, he was only an omega, a nobody omega, so nobody would care._

_Hollow expressions of sorrow and regret would be conveyed to the man’s family whilst all evidence of what happened would be erased. Because that was what really mattered - the fallout of what would happen if it was ever found out that they had done something that was technically illegal._

_Perhaps one day they could try again but right now, the risk was too great._

_Elijah might have to stand down as CEO in order to sell the idea that they were sorry for what had happened. Act as though the death had any affect on him in the slightest._

_As Richard literally burned up before their eyes, Amelia moved forward and stood by Elijah._

_“What are we going to do?”_

_“Someone just died and that’s what you think about?”_

_“A nobody omega, Elijah, remember that.”_

_She had a point. They both knew it._

_A nobody omega, so desperate to change who they were, that they were willing to die for it. So technically, it wasn’t Elijah’s fault at all. Not when the omega had read the warnings and still signed up for it._

_“Hm.”_

_Elijah tried so hard to convince himself that he was different from every other alpha, that he cared, that he wasn’t some asshole driven by the need to be above everyone else. But here he was, ready to cover up a death because he didn’t want it to impact on company name or profit. Perhaps he wasn’t so different, after all._

_“So I ask again, what are we going to do?”_

_“We stop it here... dismantle it all, this can’t get out.”_

_“Do you underestimate that silver tongue of yours, Elijah?”_ _  
__  
__“No, I’m just thinking of all the money we’d lose.”_

_“Point taken.”_

_“I’ll step down as CEO. Hopefully that and a big payout to the boy’s family will be enough to keep us out of the courts.”_

_“Oh? Stepping down as CEO?”_ _  
__  
__“I know that you’re always after your next installment of power, Amelia, you’re not exactly subtle. I’ve always admired that about you, but don’t think that this will mean that you’ll be in charge. Amanda will take over the company.”_ _  
__  
__Amelia let out a bored sigh, but nevertheless bit her tongue._

_“Whatever you think is best.”_

_A week later and it was like nothing had ever happened._

_The warehouse was empty save for a few larger machines they couldn’t move without it being too much hassle. Richard’s family had been given a large payoff to remain silent and Elijah stepped down as CEO. The media got fed the story that he had been ousted, overthrown due to irreconcilable differences within the company and everyone was none the wiser._

****

  
  


It was now evening, the talks had been going since early in the afternoon and the ice in Neil’s glass of whiskey had long since melted. It sat untouched on the small antique table that he was sitting by, leaning back into a corner of one of Elijah’s many designer armchairs he seemed to have littered about his residence, his left leg crossed and resting on his right knee. 

It was a small chair with oak framing, the dark wood of the legs and armrests blending together perfectly with the deep brown of the leather. 

A cigarette dangled loosely in between the fingers of his right hand, that arm draped lazily over the wood as he propped his head up in his other hand, the cigarette was slowly nearing the filter but Neil didn’t seem to care. 

He just watched with a cool sense of disinterest as he listened in silence to the same old arguments; the alphas in front of him were just disputing semantics at this point and he could feel Cole at his back, the android like a watchful hawk, quietly observing it all, just like he was.

Neil rolled his cigarette in between his fingers, eyes drifting to it as the ash fell onto Elijah’s black marble floor of his living room. 

How easy it would be to just… Reach for his gun, the one he always kept hidden in his shoulder holster that was beneath his suit jacket, reach for it and blow them all away. A quick squeeze of the trigger, a bullet in each of their stupid little heads and how quickly they’d fall quiet. 

Movement pulled him from his thoughts and Neil focused once again on the scene in front of him, taking one last drag from his cigarette before he stubbed it out in the ashtray that was on the table next to his whiskey glass.

It seemed as though they had all come to some sort of agreement, all of the alphas patting themselves on the back before they finally moved off deeper into the house. 

He noticed Elijah making his way slowly towards him and a small smirk started to form on his lips. The man came to stop in front of him and Neil felt Cole instantly disappear from behind him. _“Elijah.”_

Neil watched as the man leaned back against the bar he had that jutted out right beside where he was situated. It was all sleek, black geometric lines, just like everything else Kamski owned that flaunted his wealth. Neil hated it just as much as everything and everyone else in the room.

“Everyone is finally on the same page.” The man said after a minute.

Neil let his statement hang in the air for a moment, not even bothering to look the man in the eye as he stayed sitting, his smirk had disappeared. “Why did you stop that trial?” The words fell unhurriedly from his lips, a coldly superior tone to his voice as he spoke them.  
  
If Elijah was surprised at the sudden change of subject, he kept the look off his face.

“Someone died.” The man immediately bit back.

“Funny the lies you say to convince yourself, Kamski.” Neil’s reply was instant. 

He knew it would be just enough to have Elijah mentally rearranging himself, despite keeping his face vacant. Besides, the man’s silence was all the answer Neil needed, a sadistic glint sitting in his eyes. “So, I ask again, why did you stop that trial?” Neil’s tone was biting now.

That week in between the trial and Elijah’s resignation as CEO four years ago, once the rest of the boards of the respective companies found out, it had been one of fierce debate over whether the experiment should have been abandoned. 

Some had argued that the modification trials should have continued, that the benefits greatly outweighed the risks and was Neil amongst them. 

“What do you want me to say?”  
  
“The truth. That you were nearsighted to stop it so soon, but we both know that you won’t admit to that, will you?”  
  
“What good is the truth when you seem to know it already?” 

At that, Neil let out an amused huff through his nose. The man’s ability to deflect issues so he didn’t have to deal with them never failed to amaze him; the lies that he had so expertly crafted, had fooled himself into believing so he could hide behind them. In that regard, the man so reminded him of Gavin, just someone who was presenting a shell of a human being whilst the true version festered underneath.

 _“Someone died,”_ Neil mocked, “Bold of you to say that when I _know_ you were the one to let slip the formula for that compound. How many people has that killed, I wonder? Every ounce of Red Ice that’s currently on the streets and every mimicker that’s coursing through an omega’s veins... How does that feel, Kamski? Now, I know I’m cruel, but that’s something else entirely.” 

That cold smirk was back on Neil’s face as he looked Elijah dead in the eye, the man glaring at him, but still saying nothing.

That was the small little detail that kept Elijah tied to this whole mess, it was the blackmail that the man’s mother had supplied him with all those weeks ago. That ultimately, he was responsible for the creation of Red Ice and every mimicker going because outside of a few minor tweaks, they were one and the same.

The compound acted as a mimicker for omegas and a highly addictive drug for everyone else.

“I wonder what Gavin would have to say if I told him that you are to blame for all his current misfortune? That you’re responsible for the mimicker he got spiked with, hm?” Neil posed, cocking his head to the side.  
  
“You wouldn’t dare.” Elijah snapped, finally finding his voice, but it was too late.

“I think you have to be the worst type of alpha there is, Kamski. One that’s fooled themselves into thinking that they’re different, when deep down you’re just the same.” Neil paused for a moment, eyes flashing with a look that made a shiver run quickly down Elijah’s spine.

But before he could try and defend himself, Neil continued, “You do a few good deeds and think it makes up for a lifetime of shitty and selfish decisions, you hate omegas just as much as the next alpha.” His smirk had long since disappeared, it being replaced with a look that was downright dangerous.

“It’s about time you finally started to learn your place, Kamski.” 

Elijah could have gone to the police, gone straight to Gavin and told him everything and dealt with the subsequent fallout that would mean he’d lose everything. But Neil was right, deep down he was like every other alpha; Elijah was a walking god complex, it was something that he had never been able to shake - he liked the power. He fucking _craved_ it.

The challenge quickly disappeared from Elijah’s eyes as he fell silent. He crossed his arms and softened his body language, relenting all the power over to Neil once again. Even though the man had no secondary-gender, it didn’t matter; he knew exactly what to say and how to say it and anyone that dared defy him for too long ended up dead. 

They held each other’s gaze for a few moments before Neil reached into his suit jacket with his right hand, pulling his phone from one of the inner pockets without breaking eye contact. He was daring Elijah to make a move, to say something but they both knew there was no disputing what Neil had said because it was the truth. 

The man finally tore his eyes from Kamski as he quickly looked down at his phone. 

Still no reply from Gavin.

He kept his face carefully neutral as he slipped his phone back into his jacket pocket. He knew what he was doing with the man was a long game, but he had the patience to see it through. 

Neil leant forward, getting ready to get up and leave before he paused on the edge of the chair for a moment. “Have you gotten the schematics on the RK900 unit that Gavin has as his partner like I asked?” 

The question seemed to catch Elijah a little off guard and he shot the man a frown.

“I’ve already forwarded all relevant information to you or it’s in files on the desk in the study that you’ve _co-opted_.” Elijah paused, watching as Neil rose from his chair, picking up the glass of whiskey beside him as he went before finally deciding to brave asking. “I still don’t know what you need it for.”

Neil let Elijah’s statement hang in the air for a moment before he ignored it entirely. He moved up to him slowly, lingering shoulder to shoulder as he shoved the still full glass hard against the man’s chest, prompting Elijah to reach up and grab it unless he wanted one of his crystal cut $300 glass tumblers to fall to the floor and smash.

“All this fucking money, Kamski and you can’t even buy good fucking whiskey.”

Neil didn’t even bother looking back at the man as he left.

****

Gavin was slumped over one of the desks in the conference room upstairs, the one he and Nines had set up the board in a few days ago. 

It had become a base of operations of sorts. They could lock the door, tint the windows; have the privacy they needed tackling a case like this, as strange as it was. 

He had his head resting against his left arm, which was sprawled out on the table and his other hand was pathetically clutching onto an empty mug, holding it close to his face like it was some sort of holy fucking grail. It did have coffee in it, but Gavin had basically drunk it as soon as it was put in front of him and hadn’t bothered getting a new one.

Besides, being currently slouched over in silence suited him just fine. 

He peered up at the photos that were pinned up in front of him. They had singled out six people of interest and now four of them had big red Xs through them. Gavin had drawn them in thick red marker as soon as they arrived back at the station, also tacking a picture of David that the precinct had on file next to them.

The two of them had been back from the crime scene for a while; once Gavin had gotten his head back on straight after throwing his fucking guts up, Nines had helped him to focus and they managed to gather all the significant information and get it forwarded back to the station within a few hours. 

Silence, however, also gave Gavin time to think.

He fucking hated it because it always devolved into some retrospective bullshit.

Nines had been debriefing the Captain in his office downstairs for a while now and since it was nearing the end of their shift, Gavin’s already sparse attention span was quickly dwindling. Sure, he could get up, stretch his legs and perhaps go to the break room and take a breather, get some more coffee, but he couldn’t bring himself to move. 

The longer he stared at the pictures, the more they appeared to be mocking him. 

When he and Nines had sat up here a few days ago, the two of them had been so sure that they had found something concrete to go on. Hell, it had filled Gavin with a restrained sense of optimism because _something_ was always better than nothing, but that had been before four alphas had slammed doors in their faces. Before they found David. 

Before Neil had seemingly ripped the rug from out from under their feet.

If the man knew their line of thinking, was two steps ahead at all times, then what was the point? 

Gavin pulled himself up from the desk with a hard sigh, he obviously knew why he should care. Neil was a murderer; the man needed to be brought in before whatever he was planning finally came into fruition, but Gavin was having a hard time trying to feel concerned when most of the world seemed to be agreeing with the man.

_What was Neil offering that was making everyone seemingly turn a blind eye?_

He shoved the empty mug away from himself and shot it glare as it toppled to a stop in the middle of the large table. His eyes lingered on it for just a moment longer before Gavin pulled his phone from his jacket pocket. He still hadn’t answered Neil’s text and when he unlocked his phone, it immediately popped up.

That blue little text bubble mocked him and as his thumb hovered over the keyboard, time seemed to slow down the longer he stared at it. He chewed on his lip, there were a hundred and one things he could say back to the man but, thankfully, Gavin decided to swipe off from it. 

For now, anyway. 

He scrolled up through his contacts, tapping on Elijah’s number when he came to it. Catching sight of the date on his lock screen made him remember that it was roughly four weeks until his birthday, it had been four weeks exactly a few days ago when his heat had finished.

His brother usually hosted him a small party at his place every year.

And Gavin suddenly remembered that he still hadn’t spoken to him since his heat.

Funny what the mind thought about when it was actively trying to avoid something.

The last texts from between them were now on his phone screen and he frowned. Elijah had sent them when he was in the middle of his heat, but the man knew not to try and get into contact with him, even in an emergency. He pushed that thought from his mind, whatever it was clearly couldn’t have been that important as his brother hadn’t tried to speak with him since and he tapped onto the keyboard.

> nines said u tried to get into contact with me when i was in my heat?  
> haven’t heard anything since, hope everything is ok?  
> call later after wrk bc !!! we also need to sort out my bday plans?

It was a weird thing to be thinking about his birthday, but sue him, Gavin needed some normality amongst all the shit at the moment. He wasn’t surprised to see the reply bubbles pop up almost instantly. If he knew one thing about his brother, it was that Elijah kept his phone on him at all times, just like he did. 

> Nice to see you aren’t dead, Gavin  
> ;)  
> And I’ve been okay, just the same old, being the CEO but y’know how it is  
> Speak to you later

Gavin rolled his eyes.

> i think tht being CEO is already starting to go to ur head again, eli  
> speak later

He was just about to put his phone away when another reply popped up.

> Haha, fuck you xoxo

Gavin couldn’t help the small smile that crossed his face as he pressed the lock button, the date flashing up once more before the screen completely faded to black.

It was the 12th of September, seeing it again immediately made him realise-  
  
 _Fuck._  
  
His next heat would be on his birthday. The universe really did hate him, what a shitty fucking birthday present.

 _Fuck, FUCK, FUCK! SHITTING FU-_ _  
__  
_“You okay in here?”  
  
A strangely familiar voice broke through his thoughts and Gavin’s head immediately snapped towards the door. 

Captain Allen.

The man was lingering in the door, still dressed in full SWAT gear with his arms crossed against his chest and god, had he been there long?

 _What the fuck?_  
  
“Joseph? I- uh, yeah, I’m fine. The fuck you doin’ here?” Gavin couldn’t help as his question came out slightly rough and defensive, but the Captain just laughed.

It was a light sound, the type of laugh that got caught in your insides and curled around your heart and the man’s smile never failed to make his green eyes twinkle. 

As Allen stood there, he relaxed his posture. He unfolded his arms and managed to make his smile that little bit softer, they were just small actions but they went miles in easing the nerves that Gavin didn’t even realise had settled in his stomach. 

With the guy being a SWAT Captain and having basic crisis negotiation training, it made sense that he knew exactly how to read a situation.

And Gavin hadn’t been lying that time when he said that Joseph was just like Nines. 

The man was fair, level-headed and had a good heart, he was genuinely one of the nice ones, and as an alpha, those types of people were few and far between. 

For as long as Gavin had known him, Allen hadn’t once overstepped that boundary into being an asshole, lording his secondary gender over people just because he could. He commanded respect but that was because he had earned it and he always gave his to people who earned his in turn. 

Gavin had learnt that Joseph had been born in the south, in Louisiana if he remembered correctly, and had moved to Detroit in his early twenties. His southern accent crept out without him realising sometimes and without playing to stereotypes too much, Allen really did remind him of the country boy next door. You could take the boy out of the country, but you couldn’t take the country out of the boy or some shit like that. 

“I was heading up here anyway and Nines asked me to check on you, that’s all. You good?” Joseph asked as he rested back on the doorframe, leaning his right shoulder against it as he tipped his head to the side and it felt as though the man was looking right through him.

Gavin finally appeared to come back into himself and instead of unsettling him, the Captain’s gaze managed to relieve that almost performative expectation that always seemed to settle over him because there was no need to put on pretenses around the man. 

Sure, Gavin knew a lot of alphas, but only one other managed to make him feel that way - Nines.

Joseph’s scent curled around his nostrils, something that was stark and crisp and unmistakable like every other alpha scent. It reminded Gavin of fresh linen caught in sunshine, it was clean yet familiar and it wrapped safely around his insides and settled into his bones. 

It didn’t matter what natural scent an alpha had because an omega would _always_ find that smell comforting, no matter how much they denied it otherwise. 

Gavin tightened his grip on his phone for just a second, a hundred and one things seemingly going through his head before he swallowed them all down. He shoved it back inside his jacket and tiredly flashed Allen a smile as he pushed himself up off the table and made his way over to where he was standing. “Well it technically became home time two minutes ago, so now I’m fuckin’ great, J.”  
  
Allen narrowed his eyes, gaze flickering over to the photos momentarily on the wall before settling back onto the omega in front of him and he rolled his eyes. “You are full of shit sometimes, y’know that, Gav?”  
  
“ _Fuck_. You and Nines been swappin’ notes too or something?” Gavin’s comeback was immediate. 

His thoughts could be preoccupied with a million different things but as soon as someone was remotely critical, whether justified or not, a quippy retort was always on the tip of that silver tongue of his, Gavin couldn’t help it.

Joseph shook his head softly, a rough laugh escaping his lips as he turned. He began to make his way back towards the building’s elevator and after a moment, he felt Gavin fall instep beside him.  
  
“Y’know how it is, Joseph, a new case is always a pain in the ass because you’re back to square one; pissing in the wind whilst you’re clutching at straws.” 

“Yeah, and I think we’ve been friends long enough now that I’m starting to get to know you just a little bit. Don’t forget to come up for air every once in a while, y’know? Nobody at this precinct wants to see you lose yourself to this.”  
  
The two of them stopped in front of the elevator doors, Joseph pushing the call button with an index finger. Gavin shot him a glare as they waited, but the sharp look the Captain gave him in return made him promptly swallow the argument that was on his lips. A ping drew both of their attention and as soon as the doors opened, they both stepped inside the elevator.

Gavin leant back against the far wall, resting his head against it as he looked at the Captain with a cool sense of scrutiny. “You and Nines have _really_ been swapping notes, huh?”

“So what if we have a little bit? I ain’t about to lecture you, Gav, you’re too stubborn for that, but just… Make sure to think for five minutes, because you’re a smart guy.” Joseph’s voice had a tired edge to it as he spoke that Gavin didn’t notice before. 

He tipped his head back forward, softening the scowl that seemed to have settled over his face as he really took stock of the man in front of him. He noticed the weariness around the man’s eyes and the slight bags underneath them, finally noticing how Joseph seemed to carry himself with an almost deflated and lethargic sense of energy. The guy was fucking exhausted.

The Captain turned so he was facing the doors and Gavin pulled himself off the wall and came to stand by Allen’s shoulder. “What about you, Joseph? You good?”

He eyed the floor display, they were mere seconds away from stepping back out into the bullpen as he heard the man let out a sigh.  
  
“This new strain of Red Ice, Gavin, it’s… it’s like it just popped up one day out of nowhere and I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve been coordinating SWAT raids almost every other day for the past few weeks, my guys are starting to get tired.”  
  
Gavin frowned at that. Brows pinched together, concern washing over his features.

The way Fowler had been talking about the new strain a few days ago made him feel like it had been around for months, not weeks. Neil had escaped custody not long ago and it was all probably just a coincidence, but Gavin couldn’t help the strange feeling that it was all connected. 

If the man wasn’t directly responsible, then perhaps one of his associates was.  
  
Joseph looked over at him after he was met with silence, a puzzled look on his features as he saw the scowl on his face. 

Gavin roused himself from his thoughts as the doors pinged open, the soft bustle of the bullpen quickly filling the quiet between them and he shot Allen a smile. “A beer round mine after you’ve finished your shift, we can unwind for a bit, forget all this shit for just a second...How about it? I’m sure Nines won’t mind.”  
  
He watched the man think for a moment before he quickly matched his smile.

“Y’know what, sure, if Nines won’t mind… I get off in an hour, shall I see you back at your apartment?”  
  
Gavin bumped his shoulder against him, his smile still on his face. “He won’t fucking mind. See you back at my apartment. ”

And that’s exactly what happened.

An hour and a half later, Gavin was sat opposite Allen at his breakfast bar in his kitchen, the two of them sharing a six pack of beer which was sitting on the counter between them. 

That was the thing about having a modestly sized, airing on small, open-planned one bedroom apartment - there wasn’t a lot of space for entertaining guests. They could have all bundled onto Gavin’s couch by the TV, but that would have been a bit difficult given the size. 

Plus he wasn’t sure exactly at what point in a friendship you could practically sit on the guy you had developed a tiny platonic crush on whilst your boyfriend was sitting right next to you without it being extremely awkward. 

“How do you like beer, Nines?” Joseph asked, as he took another sly swig from his own.

He had stopped on his way over and bought a few bottles of Thirium ‘beer’. 

There weren’t many Thirium based foods out on the market yet and there were more drinks than food, but give it a few months and they’d be fucking everywhere because companies always wanted more money.

Nines was standing close by to Gavin, leaning back against a kitchen counter as he looked at the beer bottle in his hand, the luminescent blue liquid visible even through the dark glass. His LED swirled yellow at his temple the longer he looked at it, his eyes flickering up to look between the two men for a moment before focusing back on the bottle.

He brought the rim up to his lips, hesitating for just a second before he took a tentative sip. He stood in silence, LED circling wildly at his temple as his face remained carefully stoic before he finally spoke up, after what felt like an eternity. “I’ve had beer before.”

Gavin’s face dropped into a tired scowl as Joseph burst into laughter, more at Gavin’s exasperation than Nines’ fucking lame... whatever that happened to be. 

The android shot them both a smug grin.

“I’d watch yourself, Gav, Terminator here’s a sly one.” Joseph teased as he played along.

He shot Gavin a wink and laughed as the man’s scowl deepened. Gavin couldn’t help but feel as though he were missing out on some elaborate joke.  
  
“The beer is very nice, thank you, Joseph.”  
  
“You’re welcome.”  
  
The two of them toasted a quick cheers before they both took a swig from their bottles.

Gavin narrowed his eyes. “The fuck are you two playing at?”

Allen and Nines exchanged a subtle glance.

“Nothing,” The man paused as he leant forward in his barstool, “But this would be a very nice way to start an evening if you wanted to ask a man back for a threesome, don’t you think?” Joseph didn’t even falter as he spoke.  
  
Gavin choked on his beer, coughing as his cheeks quickly turned a bright red. 

“Terminator told me, Gav.” The man finished.

_Nines told him?! Oh for fuck sake!_

Gavin glared at Nines. “You told him?!” He snapped, faltering as the alpha just shrugged. “ _Fuck_. _The both of you.”_ He said as he gestured between them, kicking himself up and out of his stool.  
  
“But, you would like that.” Nines teased gently.

The blush on his cheeks deepened and Gavin threw up his arms quickly as he let out a sound of frustration before he stomped off towards his couch. Two alphas, their scents filling the small confines of his apartment and it was a small miracle that Gavin _wasn’t_ hard in his jeans. 

He put his beer on the coffee table and buried himself into a corner of his sofa, an angry and tired pout on his face as he crossed his arms against his chest. He was subconsciously trying to make himself seem less threatening, because even though his outburst had been justified, he had still stood his ground against _two_ alphas. 

Usually it wasn’t a big deal, hell, Gavin was close to fighting David a few days ago when the man had still been alive, but these two alphas he actually halfway liked. He would flatout deny it in a heartbeat if you asked him, but Gavin was doing the _very_ omega thing of hoping he hadn’t royally fucked everything up by being himself for two goddamn seconds.

He peered over at Nines and Allen who were chatting quietly by the breakfast bar, nervously chewing on his bottom lip as he watched them. He watched as Nines chuckled and after a moment, the android caught his eye and Gavin immediately snapped his head in the opposite direction, intently focusing on the wall by his bedroom door. 

_Fuck._   
  
Ten minutes went by and he felt the sofa dip as someone sat beside him. He knew it was Nines just by weight alone and it didn’t take long for him to settle back into the crook of his body. A sleepy pout was still on his face as Gavin felt him press a kiss to his left temple, an apology for the teasing earlier and he finally, _finally,_ relaxed.  
  
Joseph stayed for another hour.

The three of them were crammed onto Gavin’s small sofa; Nines keeping him close by. 

Some reality TV show was put on, but was quickly forgotten as they started playing stupid games. First they tried ‘Never Have I Ever’ but that was quickly abandoned as it became apparent that Gavin had done almost _every_ suggestion that was posed. So instead they settled on playing ‘Truth or Dare’ and just… talking.

It was nice having Joseph over. 

With everything going on, all of this felt like a slice of normality for just a moment.

He was someone Gavin could just relax with, the man was easy to talk to and without sounding like a teenager, he was someone he could talk about _guy_ stuff with.

Tina was more like a sister, Hank was, well… Whatever. Could he consider Hank a sort of father figure even though Gavin still thought he was kind of an asshole? And Elijah was his brother. It was a coincidence that all the good friends he had were alphas, well there was Chris too, but he was a beta.

Gavin could count all the friends he had on one hand, how fucking sad. 

The moment Joseph left, all his tiredness seemed to catch up with him all at once.

It was exhausting having to constantly fight your body at every turn; to have to ignore the two scents that had constantly pressed in on him all evening, to have to deal with what happened at the crime scene, to put on a brave face afterwards like he didn’t have a minor meltdown. Like he hadn’t been struggling the moment he had stepped back through those precinct doors after his heat. _Like he wasn’t warring with himself for texting Neil and not telling anyone._

That was the thing with Gavin, he had never been one to deal with things. He largely liked to ignore a problem, hoping it would go away on its own.

He still hadn’t really come to terms with his new body, his new hyper-tuned biology. Hell, he hadn’t even really come to terms with just being an omega yet, so how in the fuck was he supposed to deal with the added pressures of whateverthefuck Neil was planning? With the man’s creepily obsessive interest in him?

Gavin was still snuggled against Nines’ body and he felt the android squeeze him gently, placing another kiss to his temple. “How are you feeling?”  
  
Nines pulled back slightly, peering down at him as he looked back up at him. The two of them stayed like that for just a moment, his boyfriend’s steel-grey eyes were soft and comforting, yet they somehow managed to look right through him. Like he knew something wasn’t quite right but didn’t want to say unless Gavin did. Like he was goddamn fucking mind reader.

 _Come on, just tell him, idiot, open your mouth and tell him about Neil, about everyth-_ _  
__  
_“I’m- I’m just tired, Nines, tired but good… _I’m good_.” The words sounded distant and fake as he said them, but Gavin couldn’t help it.

He smiled tiredly up at his partner and he saw Nines falter for just the tiniest of seconds before he matched it with one of his own. Gavin didn’t know what it was, what kept him from just… opening his mouth and telling him, from telling everyone, but he couldn’t. 

He just _couldn’t._

Everytime he thought about it, it was like a deadweight settled in his stomach and grew until it overtook everything else, his rational thinking included. 

It was like this… This big, black thing that would just keep growing and growing and fucking growing until it consumed every part of him, leaving nothing left for anyone else. Neil was going to pick him apart piece by goddamn piece and yet he wouldn’t say a fucking word.

Gavin snuggled back down into the crook of Nines’ body before he could say anything else, before the alpha could argue facts that were true but facts he just didn’t want to hear. 

The android squeezed him gently again, the two of them sharing something tender for a few minutes as they sat there in silence, the only sound coming from the television that had purely become background noise at this point. Nines eventually moved himself forward, getting ready to leave and forced Gavin to right himself with him. “I’ll see you in bed, okay?”  
  
For once, Gavin was glad for Nines’ tactfulness. 

There was no doubt that he would have been able to scent his undeniable interest throughout the evening; being around two alphas that he was attracted to was bound to have his body reacting in ways he couldn’t help. 

He was half expecting some sly comment about Joseph, about wanting to have a goddamn fucking threesome, but all Nines did was lean forward and place a quick kiss to his hairline. “I love you.”

His boyfriend shot him one last soft smile before he pulled himself up from the sofa and made his toward the bedroom. 

The sheer patience Gavin was met with time and time again tugged at his heart. It made a sour feeling settle in his gut as he rubbed a hand tiredly down his face, because just like always, he was mere seconds away from fucking pissing all over it. 

It was at times like this he wished that his apartment had a balcony because then at least he could have his shitty breakdown against a nice backdrop.

He gathered up his phone from the coffee table and opened his contacts, scrolling down to Elijah’s number. 

_First things first_.

> ring u tomorrow instead?

The response was almost immediate.

> Sure, speak tomorrow xoxo

_Good, at least that's out of the way._

Gavin’s finger hovered over his phone screen.

It had been something that had been in the back of his mind all day, refusing to leave where it had made its home in his thoughts and the minuteGavin was alone, it allowed those thoughts to come crashing to the surface.

Because of fucking course they did.

He pulled up Neil’s text. 

The last one had been the one the man had sent about David and he hadn’t answered since. 

Gavin suddenly gripped his phone tight as he let out a strange noise of realisation. It was half way between an exasperated sigh and a scream, a hoarse rough sound of someone who knew they were fucking up, but couldn’t stop themselves. 

Why couldn’t he stop himself?

He pulled himself off the sofa and stomped his way over to the kitchen. He got out a bottle of water from his fridge and bent over one of the kitchen counters. Before he even knew what he was doing, Gavin somehow found himself back on his phone. 

If he couldn’t help himself, then Gavin could at least be smart about it. 

He stopped to think for just a second, his thoughts drifting. He had just texted Elijah and his mind managed to offer him something from months ago.

Nines and himself had been around his brother’s for dinner. He remembered that Eli had mentioned Neil being specifically interested in the secondary gender modification trial CyberLife had stopped, that he was amongst a handful of people that wanted the trial to continue. 

Had the man somehow gotten results where everyone else had failed? Was this what this was all about? Why alphas were so willing to turn a blind eye to the blazen murder of their own?

He had to ask.

> why are you so interested in changing secondary gender? elijah told me about the trials and about the person who died  
> he also told me how you wanted it to continue  
> have you found a way to make it work?

Screw being diplomatic. Neil didn’t seem to care anyway.

He wasn’t surprised to see the reply bubble pop up immediately.

> Can’t sleep, Gavin? Even with Nines there?  
> Trouble sleeping? Something on your mind?  
> Someone, perhaps?

_Fucker._

> i can sleep just fine  
> fuckin humour me

> Now that would be giving away my secrets.

> fuck you

Gavin didn’t know why he was getting so defensive and angry. He shouldn’t be fucking doing this in the first place, but here he was. 

> Perhaps you would like that, wouldn’t you?  
> You’ll always come crawling back to me, Gavin.

> how the fuck are you so sure?

> Because you’re here texting me now instead of sleeping.  
> But if you really don’t know, I’ll leave that one for you to figure out. 

He was getting psychoanalysed by a fucking lunatic when he should be bed with his boyfriend.

> Until we speak again. 

_Until we speak again_.

That simple phrase stared mockingly back up at him until Gavin saw red. 

_Someone, perhaps?_

That line swirled around and fucking around in his head, because no matter how much Gavin fucking hated the man, hated how he had gotten under his skin in a few simple days, he was right. 

Gavin hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him.

He threw his phone against the counter, the screen cracking in a corner, before he grabbed his water and stormed off to join Nines in bed. 

Ready to act as though he didn’t just text the suspect of an ongoing fucking murder investigation. Ready to act as though instead of thinking about the warmth of Nines’ body against his, he was really thinking about _Neil._  
  
Just like the man had predicted.

_Fucking shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things(tm) are happening! And if you've read this far, thank you! <3  
> Shout out to this chapter for having the most intricately described chair of bloodlines... so far.
> 
> And I'd like to give a shout to this [abo borderlands fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5666983) by PoisonJack for the inspiration behind the "science" for the trial at the beginning of this chapter! (warning: it is a rhack fic, so read at your own discretion)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A heads up - this chapter is a pretty heavy one.  
> It involves Gavin going to a crime scene and whilst it isn't super explicit, drugs and drug use are/is mentioned and certain themes are explored.
> 
> It starts from the page break and continues from the end of the chapter, so just keep in mind if you read.  
> That being said, I do I hope you like the chapter as a whole and take care.

It wasn’t as though Nines had been activated yesterday. 

He knew exactly who he had as a partner, who he had as a boyfriend and knew Gavin was completely unapologetic in one aspect of who he was.

Some people considered him an asshole. An asshole with a quick temper who always had something to say. But that was only surface, just one dimension and something that Gavin _wanted_ people to see. 

Sure, he was just that, but Nines was able to see a side to the man few were able to see; the softness and vulnerability he kept hidden away. 

Sure, he had a temper, but he was extremely loyal to those that mattered to him.

Nines knew how the man took his coffee, milk with a fuck load of sugar, Gavin having a sweet tooth he hadn’t been quite able to shake. He also knew that he _hated_ horror movies, was an absolute baby when it came to jumpscares but could play horror games like it was nothing. He knew that even though he said he hated his cat, that he fucking loved animals. 

Nines knew all the little things that Gavin tried to keep secret, tried to hide from the world; he knew the man stuck out his tongue a little when he was concentrating a little too hard and thought no one was looking. He knew the exact way the man's nose scar crinkled when he actually smiled, knew that outside his acute emetophobia, that he was also weirdly afraid of needles but desperately wanted a few tattoos.

He knew Gavin’s sometimes questionable taste in music and knew that he had a soft spot for shitty action sci-fi movies. 

All the little meaningless things that added up; that Gavin thought were unimportant but gave the man a depth that others missed, a depth that wrapped itself around Nines’ circuits and made him fall in love with him. Day after day.

So, yes, Nines knew his boyfriend.

He was currently lying opposite Gavin in bed, his stasis had ended a few minutes ago and his internal chronometer told him it was only five minutes to 6.00 AM, the time Gavin’s work alarm usually went off. 

All the little meaningless things that Gavin seemed willing to accept were part of him.

Silver eyes studied the man as he slept, a small but fond smile causing Nines’ eyes to twinkle as he watched Gavin drool onto his pillow. 

Tiny, stupid, meaningless things.  
  
So that’s how Nines knew the man had been acting differently the past few days. 

He had seen that distant, unfocused look in the man’s eye sometimes; like Gavin had the entire weight of the world on his shoulders and was being choked from the inside-out by the ghosts of a thousand different words that kept getting caught and dying on his tongue. 

Nines had noticed how he would minutely rearrange himself when he thought no one was looking, how Gavin’s actions seemed to have a sombre, almost dejected air to them like everything else had been stripped away and had left behind something hollow.

Green eyes slowly blinked open and sleep let those worries play catch up for just a moment. Gavin’s face was pulled into a tired frown, his brows pinching together, but a tired adoration that twinkled deep down in them was unmistakable.

“Good morning.”  
  
The man yawned, stretched up an arm and ran the hand over his face before he settled back down. The adoration in his eyes was gone, replaced by something that altogether wasn’t harsh, but still managed to make a heavy feeling settle in Nines’ chest. 

Gavin didn’t say anything in return, he just shot him a tired smile as he hugged his arms tight to his chest. It should have been endearing, but the look in the man’s eye, it just made that feeling morph into something melancholic. 

Nines reached out and cupped the man’s cheek with his hand. He rubbed over a soothing thumb, his synthetic skin shimmering slightly as plastimetal glided effortlessly over Gavin’s stubble. He felt the omega snuggle almost involuntarily into the touch, an act of instinct that spoke volumes and Nines gently enveloped the man next to him. 

Their legs entwined as Nines hugged him to his chest, Gavin’s head settling perfectly into the crook of his neck. He felt the man’s breathing slow even further and as Gavin’s deep scent filled his nose, that warm and comforting smell that reminded him so much of spiced sandalwood and Nines felt a hand snake gingerly around his torso. Gavin’s fingers clinging on and keeping him close. 

He carefully pressed a kiss to the top of the man’s head. He wasn’t expecting anything in return, but he felt Gavin’s grip on him squeeze momentarily tighter before the man moved his head, cheek brushing against cheek before their lips eventually found each other.

Nines let Gavin take the lead, every kiss was slow and deliberate, each one careful and deep as they lay there in each other’s arms. 

It was something tender and gentle, something that could so easily turn into sex if it wanted, but didn’t neccessarily need to because they both just needed to hold each other. They were both after that silent reassurance that they still meant something to each other in that moment.

Minutes passed before Gavin gently broke the contact, carefully bowing his head just slightly as Nines continued to pepper soft kisses along the man’s flesh, pressing one to the bridge of his nose for a few seconds before he simply hugged the man close to his chest once more. 

He would never say it, but right there, Gavin just needed comfort. 

A warm body to hold him and keep him safe. A silent understanding and acceptance without a thousand questions. 

Nines desperately wanted to ask what was wrong, but every time the opportunity came around, he always felt like it was inappropriate. He had never pushed Gavin to tell him anything, about his past or otherwise - it was Gavin’s to tell if he ever felt that the time was right. 

But love was many things. Sometimes it was hard conversations that ended in confrontation and it was something that Nines was quickly going to have to learn if he wanted to help save the man in his arms from his own self destruction.  
  
 _Just open your mouth and ask the man, you need to ask hi-_

“Do you fancy some breakfast?”  
  
The answer Nines got in return was one that genuinely surprised him.

“Stay here just a while longer? _Please?_ ” 

Nines knew Gavin wasn’t one to beg over certain things. 

He did it in bed sometimes when he wanted sex after Nines had been teasing him too long. He did it sometimes to get his own way, coupling whatever came out of his mouth with the best puppy-eyes and pouty baby face he could manage, but the man never begged when it came to wanting affection. 

He had never been one to actively express wanting to be held, to wanting that contact, to wanting displays of affection even though he desperately craved them. Because then, that would ultimately mean that Gavin would have to acknowledge that part of himself that he actively kept buried and all of the trauma that went along with it.

The man in his arms was a far cry from the man who had so cockily swanned out from Fowler’s office a month or so ago, a shit-eating grin on their face whilst wearing an ‘Omega and Proud’ t-shirt as a bet. But, perhaps that was because that man had never existed in the first place. 

Nines felt Gavin snuggle into him. 

Even if he didn’t want to be, Gavin was an omega wanting to be held by an alpha, an omega simply wanting to be reassured that things were going to be okay.  
  
 _That things were going to be okay_.

An omega who had gone through so much in the space of short few months and one who still didn’t accept or fully acknowledge their secondary gender. An omega who constantly danced around what had been done to them; that they had been outed against their will, had gotten spiked and subsequently had their whole life flipped on its head. 

Someone who hadn’t had the time to process.

Now would be the perfect time to ask. No beating around the bush, he had to be direct, to ask the man what was wrong and be the alpha that his programming constantly dictated him to be. But as Nines went to open his mouth, he couldn’t say what needed to be said. 

As he felt Gavin’s warm body beside him, he couldn’t.

Because at that moment, Gavin just needed reassurance.

“Okay, I’ll stay.”  
  
“... _Thanks_.”

So Nines let the man have his moment, that calm, but that didn’t mean that strange feeling in his chest shifted. It stayed.

It didn’t shift when he eventually made his way into the living room whilst Gavin was having a shower, noticing that the television had been left on from the night before, it still being on the same channel. It didn’t shift when he filled up and turned on the coffee machine. And it didn’t shift as he made the man some breakfast, eggs with a slice of toast, it sitting heavy in his chest as he pulled out a plate from the cupboard before putting some bread in the toaster.

He eyed the man’s phone that was still on the breakfast bar, a crack in the screen.

“Have you seen my...”

He heard Gavin trail off, his eyes flickered up and Nines watched as he came to a stop on the opposite side of the bar. He saw the man look down at his phone, Gavin’s brows quickly creasing into a frown before his irritation disappeared and he looked back up, his green eyes glaring at him in an act of silent defiance. 

Like the man was begging for him to say something, to intervene, to do something. _Anything_.

And in that moment, it was like Nines was really looking at him for the first time in days. 

He finally noticed the bags under Gavin’s eyes hadn’t shifted, but instead had gotten a fraction darker. He noticed that he looked _tired_ and that he hadn’t decided to shave. Noticed that even though he had just showered, Gavin looked terrible. 

Present, but not quite there.

Almost like he was starting to look like a ghost of a man. A ghost haunted by something that Nines couldn’t begin to understand unless Gavin spoke to him and it made his mechanical heart ache.

But before he could open his mouth to speak, Gavin promptly snatched it off the counter and stomped off to sit on the sofa.

After a moment, he heard the man start talking to his brother, the two of them arranging plans concerning Gavin’s birthday. A few minutes went by before he heard the man bark out a laugh, one that was a little too fake.  
  
“Uh-huh, yep.... Fuck, Okay... It’ll be me, you, Nines, Tina, Joseph… fuck it, maybe Anderson?”  
  
After getting cutlery and condiments together, Nines piled the scrambled eggs neatly on top of the slice of toast, placing everything gently down in front of the stool that Gavin always sat in when eating breakfast.

“Ha! Fuck you, Eli… uh-huh… yeah… okay… okay… listen, I gotta go, I’ll text you closer to the time just to finalise everything, yeah? Okay, bye…. Yeah, fuck you, too. Bye.”

Nines turned back to face the coffee machine, the robust smell managing to even cut through Gavin’s scent, it spluttering out a gurgle as it finally finished working and he heard the plate being dragged along the counter top, moving as Gavin had decidedly sat in a _different_ seat. 

It made something else overtake the melancholy in his chest. 

Exasperation.

He wasn’t sure where this sudden change in man’s mood had come from. Why Gavin was being so… silently hostile, like he was angry at him for being concerned. Like he was angry at him for not asking when he knew the man would just push back.

As Nines pulled out the man’s favourite mug, a large Japanese style one, earthen and painted in the dark blue and purple swirls of a galaxy, the thought crossed his mind that humans could be absolutely irrational, omegas even more so and this was genuinely the first time that that thought had crossed his mind. 

That thought pulled at the alpha part of his coding and it threatened to take hold. He had always actively tried to ignore the more… damaging parts of his coding. The parts that told him to dominate, to control, to put his omega in their place time and time again. 

Gavin was afraid of opening up to the more base parts of his nature and so was Nines.

But perhaps this situation called for a tougher stance, he had already tried patience and that had gotten him here, having an awkward breakfast with the man he loved and one who seemed intent on burning up before his very eyes. 

He filled the mug with coffee, got the milk out of the fridge, put in just the right amount of sugar before he gave it all a stir. Nines took his time as he heard Gavin eating his breakfast, his thoughts building and building as he turned around and placed the coffee on the counter closer to him than to his omega. 

The sound caused the man to stop eating for a moment, eyes quickly glancing up from his plate, his mouth frozen mid-chew as he shot Nines an irritated frown but the android didn’t back down. 

He slowly crossed his arms against his chest, his face carefully neutral as he looked at Gavin with cool grey eyes with his LED thankfully still circling a calm blue. 

He would try the diplomatic approach one last time. 

“Gavin, _please_. I know something is bothering you.” Nines started, voice composed but with a hint of concern. “If you talk to me, we can work through whatever is happening, together. You don’t have to face it alone.” Nines held the man’s gaze, his statement hanging in the air.

If he were human, his breath would have caught in his throat because, for just a moment, it looked as if Gavin were truly contemplating telling him what was wrong as he slowly finished chewing his food and swallowed it down. 

The man sat there in silence, it managing to draw out and it felt like it lasted a lifetime instead of a few simple seconds.

“If you know something’s fucking wrong, why don’t you force me to tell you, huh?” Gavin finally snapped back, his sudden temper turning his voice sour.

Nines could see the tears forming in the man’s eyes and he couldn’t believe it, but before he could say anything, the man continued. “Why don’t you fucking scream at me, Nines? Shout? Put a fucking piece of shit omega like me in their goddamn fucking place?!” 

“Why? Is that what you expect? For me to be like every other alpha? To… put you in your place?” Nines’ reply was immediate.

If this was the game Gavin wanted to play, so be it. 

“That fucking stick up your ass must be driving you crazy, Nines. You must be so fucking desperate to just, _fuck_ … I would have beaten the fucking shit out of me by now for being so fucking stupid.”  
  
“So, is that what you’re used to? Violence? Confrontation? I am not going to throw a punch at you to get you to _listen_ to me, Gavin!”

His tone caused the man to falter momentarily but instead of getting him to calm down, it only spurred him to get angrier.

“Your- your fucking holier than thou attitude, Nines. _Fuck!_ Throw a goddamn fucking punch, you f-fucking idiot! Fucking split my lip open! Bust my nose! Shove me up against a fucking wall a little too hard! Do fucking something! F-fucking break me until I’m fucking bleeding because that’s what I fucking deserve!” Gavin slammed his hands onto the bar, pausing his outburst to catch his breath for a moment and the tears that had only been threatening to fall were now slowly streaming down his face. 

“You’re a weak fuckin’ alpha, Nines and we both fucking know it.” That last sentence was a whisper but the weight behind it was unmissable. Nines could see that Gavin regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. But there was no taking them back now. 

Nines uncrossed his arms and he saw Gavin flinch slightly at the action, like he knew he fucked up and was expecting a fist in return. He saw the man's eyes quickly flicker over to his LED as it cycled wildly at his temple. Nines' face stayed unreadable as he reached out, taking the man's coffee in his hand, sliding it with him as he walked around the counter and he stopped just by Gavin's side. 

"I cannot change your past or whatever views you might have on alphas in general." Nines took a step closer, his body barely an inch from Gavin's and he saw the way the man fought against the little shiver it sent along his spine. 

He could see the way Gavin was internally battling with his hostility, wanting to fight Nines, but had that little itch trying to tell him to submit to his alpha, especially when Nines used a voice so stern. "But you would be wise to not mistake my kindness for weakness. Is it really so difficult for you to believe that somebody can care about you, Gavin?" 

Nines knew that his omega wouldn't be able to formulate a response, so he didn't wait for one. He simply made his way towards the door. 

"I'll meet you at the station."

And just like that, he was gone.

All Gavin could do was stare after him.

The android didn’t slam the door behind him in anger and that perhaps stood out to him most of all, managing to make everything cut that little bit deeper.

He finally pulled his eyes from the doorway, his anger quickly mellowing out and leaving behind a sour feeling in his gut. He glared down at his half-eaten eggs, suddenly feeling not so hungry anymore.

When he had woken up, everything had been… different. 

Not perfect, but certainly not this.

Nines had held him in his arms, had comforted him when he had needed it most, no questions asked. When he had been in the shower, Gavin’s thoughts had drifted. He had jokingly thought about actually returning the favour one day and making his alpha breakfast for a change. 

He was pretty sure there had to be thirium coffee some-fucking-where and if there wasn’t, he had half the mind to ring up Elijah, pull the ‘brother card’ and force him to make some as a favour. For what? He wasn’t sure.

When he had sauntered into the living room, Gavin had been busy trying to pull a reason out of his ass, his mind fixating on it because then he could use it as a segway into talking about his fucking hospital appointment, which he still hadn’t done. 

Then he had caught sight of Nines looking at his phone, the screen still cracked from last night and suddenly his good mood came crashing down.

Not that it even really had a valid reason to.

When Nines had outright asked what was wrong, Gavin should have answered there and then, but he didn’t.

It was a lot easier to hide behind old habits than to confront difficult truths, especially if you were not ready for them. 

So his temper had flared and he had pushed Nines away, metaphorically shitting all over everything because Gavin told himself that conflict was the only thing he could really accept. That as an omega, conflict and violence were what he deserved. 

He wasn’t avoiding talking about Neil per se.

No.

Gavin was still avoiding confronting the trauma and issues that had essentially plagued him his entire life. Those that he had pushed down and thought he’d gotten over but had instead just simply forgotten. 

****

A few days passed since their argument.

In that time, the two of them had followed up on their line of ‘suspects’. That list of six alphas they had come up with and only had two left to question. 

Unsurprisingly, the last two alphas were also less than forthcoming and became just two more giant red ‘X’s back on the wall in their makeshift base at the station. 

The two of them were back to square fucking one.

Then Fowler had called them in to assist Hank and Connor with a Red Ice related incident, fuck knows why. Probably because they had nothing better to do, which was how they both currently found themselves in some shitty little apartment that was in the outskirts of the city.

In a big city, it was the type of neighbourhood you saw all too often; they were dotted around everywhere and it was one Gavin was all too familiar with. It was run down and forgotten, the buildings and houses were in desperate need of renovation or knocking down all together. The roads and sidewalks were just as bad. 

After he left home at sixteen, Gavin had couch surfed, bouncing between one shitty friend’s house to the next before he had finally saved up enough money through his crappy jobs for his first place. 

The years that fucking mattered he had spent fighting just to survive in neighbourhoods like this, and when he had been going through his police academy training, Gavin had an apartment much like the one he was standing in.

Shit. 

Like it fucking belonged to a crack dealer.

Hank and Connor were busy with a bunch of techs in the bedroom while he and Nines were standing in the tiny living room. He had a pair of blue evidence gloves on as they were combing the place for evidence.  
  
A young alpha had OD’d on this new strain of Red Ice, just another in a long line of casualties it seemed and the body was still in the other room. They hadn’t been here long.

Nines and Gavin were… they were silently working around one another.

Their dynamic had changed, shifting to something ultimately a lot more indifferent and halfhearted because they were both just as stubborn as each other.

They hadn’t talked about the fight. Or rather, they were refusing to and it had altered their relationship. Gavin hadn’t said anything about that morning and neither had Nines because neither wanted to be the first to back down and apologise.

Towards their friends they just carried on like normal; Gavin was the same prickly asshole with that secret heart of gold and Nines was the ever stoic yet openly pleasant android he always was. 

But Gavin hadn’t failed to notice that his alpha had decidedly become a lot more… cold. A lot more snappy, a lot more willing to bite back and not let Gavin’s shit slide as much as he used to. A lot more _alpha._ Not in an overly cruel way, but one that still managed to make a funny feeling settle in his chest.

Omega curled at his insides.

Because Gavin wanted nothing more than to roll over onto his metaphorical back and grovel. To turn himself inside out and beg for forgiveness because he had made _his_ alpha angry.

He pulled a face as he shifted through the contents of a drawer.

_His alpha._

Gavin pushed down his thoughts.

God, he was fucking pathetic.

He didn’t know why he was like this. This was what he had wanted, right? Nines was simply treating him the way he had wanted a few days ago. So why did he feel like shit?

He fished out a faded and crumpled photograph and frowned. 

It was of a woman and a small child at what appeared to be a park somewhere. The vic that was in the other room wasn’t in it. Gavin pulled out another photo from the drawer and it was of the same woman. 

She had mousy-blonde hair and a very slender build. Gavin could see it from the pictures alone that looked like the timid type, so she was probably an omega. She also appeared to be in her mid thirties. 

_Is this her apartment?_

_If it is, then where the fuck is she?_

Many people in this city struggled to make ends meet, Gavin knew that.

Some sold their bodies, some sold drugs and some did both, omegas especially, but it didn’t really matter about secondary gender. Poverty was indiscriminate and it always dealt in wholesale

Before the Red Ice epidemic started a few years ago, the go to drug of choice had been cocaine. It wouldn't have exactly been the worst, except for the fact that more often than not, it was mixed with opioids.

It wasn’t uncommon for cops to be called out to apartments just like these on a daily basis to find people OD’d on the fucking stuff. Mostly betas and omegas, their systems full of a not so lovely concoction of various drugs mixed with the coke to create that perfect, intense high.

All the while, some smug alpha was sat in the next room; one that had paid them for a quick fuck and a quick fix and usually couldn’t care less that someone had died.

Then, Red Ice sprung up in early 2036 and spread through the city like wildfire. 

Since Red Ice had similar effects, since it took that high and made it better, amplified it, many other drugs became somewhat obsolete. Why go through the effort of mixing together opioids and cocaine, when Red Ice was right there?

Whoever decided to add Thirium into the mix with drugs was one sick fuck. 

The Red Ice Task Force was set up pretty quickly afterwards as a response and it was still going strong today.

With them working night and day, they were slowly beginning to get a handle on the epidemic, then this new strain had popped up a few weeks prior and had sent the whole of the DPD reeling.

Hank was drafted back into the task force which naturally meant that Connor followed.

SWAT had also been running almost non-stop raids and Joseph sure as fuck hadn’t been lying when he had said that he hadn’t seen anything like it.

Playing catch up on the way over, Gavin had learnt that this new strain was five times more addictive and the stuff ten times more lethal. But that didn’t matter because it had a high that got you hooked almost immediately, so naturally, people didn’t care. What was a little death when there was an actually deliverable promise of paradise?

If the old Red Ice was a wildfire, then this new stuff was the plague, bordering on a pandemic. 

Gavin held the photos out behind him, only bringing his arm back forward when he felt Nines take them. “Might be the owner of the apartment.”  
  
“Perhaps.”  
  
 _“Perhaps._ ” He couldn’t help but mock. “Perhaps I’m right and if I am, then we might be able to find out what happened to the sad sack of shit in the next room.”  
  
He heard his partner clearly let out a harsh huff as an answer and Gavin bit down his quickly flaring temper, but it still itched along his veins, begging at him to turn around and tell Nines to fuck off. 

Because of course it would. 

Gavin constantly yo-yoing between angry and submissive as his temper coiled around omega in a way that he was pretty sure would cause him whiplash some time soon.

He really was fucking pathetic.

Jesus fucking christ.

Gavin straightened out his back, wincing a little as he stretched up his arms above his head and felt it pop. He ran his hands down his front as he stifled a yawn, tugging down the bottom of the green long sleeved shirt that he was wearing under his jacket because, no matter how hard he tried otherwise, it always rode up a little and showed off his happy trail.

He definitely didn’t need that kind of vulnerability, not right now.  
  
Not with Nines being a fucking prick and Hank in the next room. 

He swallowed down his anxieties, steeling his resolve and setting his jaw before he made his way towards the entrance of the living room. He needed to touch base with Anderson, Gavin knew Nines knew it too, but fuck what his glorified toaster of a partner thought at the moment. 

But his glorified toaster of a partner was also standing between him and leaving. 

He stopped in front of his al- boyfr- _partner_ and glared silently at him. 

Cool grey eyes stared back at him and Gavin tried his best not to outwardly show any reaction. A weird feeling itched right under his skin, crawling like little electric bugs and it took everything Gavin had in him not to start fidgeting. It begged at him to submit. “Move, Nines.”  
  
He waited until the android eventually started to move and took that as his cue to push past him with a little more hostility than he intended, his shoulder bumping into Nines’, but it was better to overcompensate than to back down. Backing down would mean his stupid fucking behaviour was all for nothing and well, Gavin was never one to openly admit he was wrong.

Asshole. Stubborn asshole. Whatever. It didn’t matter, he didn’t do apologies.

Well, not with ones that had so much riding on them. 

Apologising would mean that he and Nines would have to have a talk that he wasn’t ready to give. God, he was a fucking mess, it was like he was fucking regressing back into a teenager, just hiding behind his temper in lieu of dealing with things.

After this was all over, Gavin was definitely going to have to take some time off and see a therapist. He had to work through his issues because deep down, he knew Nines was just worried. His alpha wasn’t angry at him and was only reacting to his _own_ hostilities, reacting to the walls that had come flying up like they always did and had him relying on toxic behaviour that was way too easy to fall back into.  
  
It was like a crutch. His fucked up way of dealing with things that were beyond his control.  
  
And it wasn’t fair on anyone. 

This whole thing with Neil had brought to light all the unresolved trauma from his past. It was why he found it so difficult to separate what was happening with the case from his own issues surrounding his secondary gender. 

It was why he had pissed away the opportunity that Nines had so blatantly given him a few days ago to talk about what was wrong.

It was why couldn’t fucking stop himself from speaking to Neil of all people. And it was why he just couldn’t help himself.  
  
Because it gave him something else to fixate on instead of his own fucked life. But in the process, he was fucking up his life even more. How fucking ironic.  
  
Neil was smart and knew exactly what he was doing.  
  
He’d stripped Gavin of everything he had used to hide behind. There was a reason why the man had played into his secondary gender when they’d seen each other face to face. Besides from Neil’s fucked up obsession with him, it was like he wanted to fuck with Gavin’s mind. 

Twist him inside out until he didn’t know which way was up.  
  
It made Gavin focus _on_ him instead of trying to find him. 

He was terrified of telling Nines about Neil, true, but he was more terrified of dealing with everything all of this had brought with it. 

All the repressed trauma Gavin thought he had dealt with, but instead had simply ignored.

He lingered a little in the hallway, ignoring the smell that was starting to tug at his nostrils, that musky scent of an omega just recently gone through a heat, it was a heavy and invasive smell and he hated it. He gripped hard at his phone before he pulled it from his jacket, his face pulled into a sour and tired frown like he had just swallowed a bitter pill.

Perhaps this one would finally be the wake up call he needed. 

He unlocked it and tapped onto his calendar, typing up a memo that he could tie an alarm to so he couldn’t fucking forget. 

**‘Go to therapy. Don’t be a fucking idiot.’**

But in his weird mood and with his thoughts preoccupied, he missed that he had accidentally set it to next year instead of tomorrow.

He tapped onto Elijah’s number. He didn’t know what made him do it. But he figured that since Eli had an ego the size of a fucking planet, he must have access to the best. 

> know a gd therapist???

> Why? You need one?

> maybe

Gavin didn’t bother waiting for another reply and just shoved the phone back in his pocket. Right now he had work to do and his fucking self pity could wait. He swallowed it down.

He _was_ going to get help.

It was hard to see the wood from the trees when you were standing in the middle of all the bullshit but he didn’t want to lose the things that mattered to him.

Gavin had overcome a shitty and abusive childhood, he had friends who cared about him and he had a boyfriend that was second to none. He just needed to start fucking remembering it a little more. Perhaps once the metaphorical dust had settled, he’d even apologise to Nines and _talk_ to him.

Swallow his pride or lack thereof and bite the goddamn bullet.

Because Nines deserved it.

And deep down, Gavin wasn’t whatever shell of a person he was walking around as now, he knew that too.

They both deserved better.

He shoved his hands into his pockets with a sigh and hugged his jacket to him, boxing himself in with his own arms. He knew it was something he was doing to seem less threatening and smaller, but fuck it, right now he needed the pretend confidence the action gave him. 

His nostrils twinged as he made his way towards the tiny bedroom, walking through the dingy little hallway; taking in the coats that hung on the back of apartment door, the lack of photos and other personal trinkets, the tall pile of mail and magazines that stood opposite the entrance that had become a makeshift table of sorts. 

He also took in the grubby little handheld phone that was sat perched on top of it and next to that were some keys and a pack of cigarettes. And that fucking smell wasn’t getting weaker. Instead, the closer Gavin got to the bedroom, the stronger it became.

_Could no one else-_

“You smell that, Nines?” He barked out.

“Smell what, Detective?”  
  
 _Detective. Back to square one, huh? Fuckin’ shit. But, hey, you deserve it, asshole._

Gavin bit his tongue, but still couldn’t help the slight blush that tinged his cheeks. Either his partner genuinely couldn’t smell whatever was hanging in the air or he was still being petty. But in light of everything, he decided to give Nines the benefit of the doubt.

“That phckin’... post-heat fuckin’ shit. Sure you can’t smell it?”

He cocked his head back to look in the direction of the living room, raising an eyebrow expectantly as he watched his partner come to a stop in the doorway. Gavin watched the minute movement of his brows, watched as his LED quickly spun yellow-red-yellow at his temple before returning to it’s smooth blue.  
  
“No, I cannot.” Nines offered simply.

Gavin pulled his face into a frown. “Huh.”

So, Nines genuinely couldn’t smell it. _What the fuck?_

“Maybe I’m imagining things, forget I said anything.”

His partner gave a quick curt nod of his head before he left Gavin standing and gaping after him in the hallway. But he couldn’t say anything as that smell pressed in on him further, so instead, he made his way into the bedroom. 

Yeah, there was no fucking way he was imagining this shit.

It curled together with the unmistakable smell of death that was coming from the bedroom and he almost gagged.

Death wasn’t a pleasant smell to begin with.

Anybody could smell rotting flesh when a body started decomposing, but when someone had just recently died, it brought with it an entirely different scent. Something a lot less tangible and more connected to a feeling and if sombre had a smell, Gavin always thought that this would be it. 

Sure, he had seen a lot of death in his time. As part of the force, it was something that went hand in hand with the job, but that didn’t mean it was something he ever got used to. It always set his stomach on edge and made nerves crawl under his skin, filling him with a restless type of energy because he’d always rather be elsewhere.

As he watched Hank and Connor direct the small group of techs that had managed to squeeze itself around the bed, Gavin felt a little bit like a fish out of water. But he pushed that feeling down. “You guys got anything?” 

His hands settled on his hips as he stood in the doorway and waited for an answer.

Hank straightened with a tired sigh, turning to face him as he lingered at the side of the bed. “Just the usual, so far, Kid. Some rich fuck who was looking for a quick fix, y’know how it is.”

“Alpha?” Gavin asked.

“Uh huh. Every incident we’ve been called to so far, all deaths have been alphas...” The lieutenant trailed off, chewing on his lip as he turned and watched as a tech took some photos. After a few seconds, he finally snapped himself out of his thoughts. “Well, all but one.”

“Really?”  
  
“Yeah, we’ve had one beta turn up dead, so far. But alpha or beta, Reed, it doesn’t matter.”

It seemed as if the new Red Ice worked on both alphas and betas in much the same way, offering a high that was too good to be true. 

Gavin eyed the man who was lying dead on top of the bed and just by looking at him, he could tell the guy reeked of money and elitism. Not that that was due cause for his death but you always found the same types of people abusing the system and exploiting the most vulnerable.

The victim was dressed in a sharp suit, the man hadn’t even bothered to remove his jacket before he had gotten straight to the deed, his pants and belt were down around his ankles and his dick was, well… yeah. 

“The vic’s name is Vincent Jones, he’s thirty five and works for The Miller Law Firm. They’re commercial litigation attorneys based in Downtown.” Hank explained.

Seemed he was right on the money, guy was a fucking lawyer.

“Commercial litigation?” Gavin shot back.

“Uh huh.” Anderson paused and turned once again to face the younger detective. “And you’ll like this next part. Guess who owns Miller Law?” He posed.

Gavin just gave his shoulders a quick shrug in lieu of an answer.

“LifeLine.” 

That finally caught Gavin’s attention.

“No fuckin’ shit?”  
  
“No _fuckin’_ shit, Son.”

Seems like Neil was everywhere lately. 

He didn’t like to bet, but Gavin would wager with a certaintanty that all the other victims that the Task Force had found would also be associated with LifeLine in some way.

“What about your other victims, Hank? All connected to LifeLine too, or?” 

He watched Anderson nod his head.

 _Fuck_.

“Or CyberLife.” Hank added before he turned his attention back to the crime scene. 

_Huh. CyberLife too?_

“You found any omegas?” Gavin asked eventually. It was a strange change of tack but that smell was still not leaving him alone.

He watched the Lieutenant exchange a hushed whisper with Connor before directing the tech with the camera to photograph a particular section of the room. Once he had done that, Hank placed his hands on his hips and let out a satisfied hum. “What makes you ask that, Reed?” 

“Really, Hank? Come on, we all know these fuckin’ types of situations and who was probably getting this fuck’s dick wet before he OD’d. What kinda fuckin’ question is that?” Gavin couldn’t help the snappy and defensive tone he bit back with.

Hank turned his head and shot Gavin a warning look, but when the younger man didn’t back down, he let out a heavy sigh. “No, you’re right, Gavin. That was stupid of me.” He paused for a second, gathering his thoughts before continuing. “I… It’s always been the same whenever we’ve been called to a scene. A dead alpha or beta and any omegas that have been involved have been long fucking gone by the time we’ve gotten there.” 

Why did Gavin find that so hard to believe? Omegas were always involved in this shit.

“You sure?”  
  
“Hey, Kid, listen, I might be many things, but I’m not lair, okay?”

“I- sorry, yeah, okay.”

Gavin started to chew on his lip, uncertainty painting his features and now that the techs were finally done cataloguing the scene, the Lieutenant walked over to him. “Everything okay?” 

Hank came to a stop in front of him, concerned eyes searching his face, watching as the omega seemed to come apart under his gaze. The young detective let out a sigh, the tense line of shoulders softening slightly as he rearranged himself.

“I found some photos in the living room and I asked Nines earlier and he couldn’t smell it. A post-heat omega scent, Hank, I’ve been able to smell it since I stepped into this apartment. I was able to ignore it up until a few minutes ago and it- it’s strongest in this bedroom.” Gavin explained carefully. He watched Hank scrunch up his nose and pull his brow into a slight frown. “Lemme guess, you can’t smell it either?” 

The older man shook his head. Gavin was just about to open his mouth and argue when Hank placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and stopped him in his tracks.

“Hey. That doesn’t mean I don’t believe you.” He started carefully, shooting the young detective a smile. “You’re more than welcome to have a look around, Kid. If you can find an omega when we haven’t been able to, you’ll actually be doing us a huge favour with all of this.” 

Hank stepped to the side and Gavin finally stepped into the bedroom.

It was tiny. 

Most of the space was taken up by the double bed that was the middle of the room. Hanging above it was a picture, framed and skewed of a landscape, the kind you usually found in a cheap and crappy motel. There was also one bedside table that had been squeezed into the left corner and opposite the bed were some slatted wooden doors. A closet. 

There was nowhere else to hide in this bedroom, so it meant that the closet was the only place where someone could be. 

A quick scowl flittered over Gavin’s face before he strode over it.

Surely it would have been searched first thing when forensics arrived on scene. 

He opened the doors. 

It wasn’t big, the space was probably large enough to fit two adults in it at a push. There were just a handful of clothes hanging on the rack and they all seemingly matched the drab interior. 

There was no one there, but the smell in the closet was unmistakable, like it had become concentrated almost. He bit at his lip, he had come too far to give up now and he had a hunch. 

Gavin carefully pushed the clothes to one side and stepped into the space, crouching down on the balls of his feet as he got out his phone. He used the torch to illuminate the back wall and once satisfied he could see, Gavin slowly reached out his free hand and gently tapped against it with a knuckle. It was just as he thought, it was hollow. 

He managed to shuffle closer and finally caught sight of the hairline crack he was looking for. 

There was a crawl space hidden in the back wall.

It was well hidden, so no wonder it had gone unnoticed. 

He carefully applied some pressure and it didn’t take much for the panel to pop out of place. With some angling, Gavin managed to rest it up against the wall outside before he maneuvered back to face the now exposed hole in the closet.

He slowly crept forward, ducking his head under the top and tucking in his arm, clutching his phone tight to his chest so he could see in the darkness. 

The space wasn’t very wide, Gavin almost hit his forehead against the back of it, but it was long. He angled his torch away from himself and could make out a figure. They were naked save for some underwear and huddled into the far corner. 

They looked at him with fear filled eyes and his stomach sank.

They were holding their legs to their chest and looked absolutely terrified.

It was the same woman from in the photos. 

“You don’t need to be afraid anymore, you’re safe.” Gavin said as he stayed stock-still, like he thought one wrong move would cause her to try and bolt like a frightened animal. “I _promise..._ No one is going to hurt you.”

He poked out his head, called for Hank to come help and just about managed to pull himself back into the tiny space, when the woman lunged forward, scrambling as she tried to bury herself into his arms.

First, it caught him off guard, the initial shock of the contact making irritation rise quickly up within him. But she clung onto him like her life depended on it, looking up at him with a wild and terrified look in her eyes and that look managed to stab right into Gavin’s heart quite like nothing had managed before.

He swallowed down his mood, carefully wrapping his arms around her, boxing the woman in and holding her to his chest as he gently moved with her out of the small space and onto the floor of the closet. He slipped his phone into a jean's pocket and managed to shuck off his jacket, one arm at a time before he draped it around her shoulders. 

She was about to become the subject of intense scrutiny and even though they were all there to help in one form or another, Gavin figured her situation didn’t need to be added to by being pretty much naked. He knew if he were in the same position, he’d fucking hate it. Anything to lessen the impact and leave the poor woman with some dignity when this was all over, he’d do. 

Hank, Connor and the small group of techs all crowded around them and Gavin felt the woman bury herself deeper into his arms as they moved out into the bedroom. She was fucking terrified. He looked down at her, saw two big watery blue eyes staring back at him and something deep within him snapped. 

“Can anyone... who isn’t Hank Anderson or his goddamn partner in any phckin’ way, kindly phuck off?!” Gavin all but shouted, turning his head up to glare at the people in question and when no one moved, Hank quickly ushered them towards the exit.

“Right, you fucking heard the man, out! All of ya!”

Gavin watched as people started to leave and he noticed that Nines was lingering in the doorway, his stoic grey eyes were carefully studying the scene and they were like a lifeline in the midst of a storm that Gavin didn’t even now he needed. 

Betas he could deal with, but still being surrounded by too much alpha was starting to play havoc with his nerves, so god knows what it was doing to the poor girl in his arms. The girl, the omega, totally naked save for some dirty underwear, the one that smelled like they were just coming out from a heat. 

She clung on tighter still, her nails managing to dig into Gavin’s flesh even through his long sleeved shirt and it felt like he was holding the sun in his arms.

_Is this how-_

A few seconds later and all of them were finally alone.

“A-an omega, the one from the photos, Nines.” That confidence in Gavin’s tone just moments ago was gone, his voice now thick with one too many emotions that threatened to spill over.

_Is this how I was during my heat? How... I am?_

A strange sensation settled in the pit of Gavin’s stomach and he couldn’t shake the sickening feeling that what he had experienced; getting spiked and everything since, were all somehow similar to what this poor woman was going through right fucking now.  
  
 _She shouldn’t be here, she should be somewhere safe, somewhere-_

_I fucking shouldn’t be here._

“None of you can smell that? Sh-she’s burning up right in my fucking arms!” Gavin’s voice trembled as he spoke and he hated it.

That wasn’t even the worst thing. 

Now that she was in the open, Gavin could smell the distinct scent from her that only came from an omega when a bond was in the process of forming. So either the fuck on the bed had tried to bond with her before he had OD’d or something else had caused the bond to form. 

Gavin carefully swept some of the woman’s hair away from the back of her neck and he could feel her go still in his arms. “Shhh, it’s okay, you’re okay.” He soothed as gently as he could as he carefully moved his hand up, softly feeling at her bondsite on the back of her neck. 

He could feel that it was swollen, the skin feeling hot and angry under his touch. 

_Shit. Shit shit shit._

If she were bonded, that would explain why no one else apart from him had been able to smell her scent throughout the apartment. It was an age-old defense mechanism that was ingrained into an omega’s very biology.

Omegas could take either a beta or an alpha as a bond partner. Whilst betas could see omegas through heats, they didn’t have the same visceral reaction alphas did. Much like an omega, once an alpha smelled an in-heat omega, their own biology drove them to claim their potential mate, they became slaves to their base drives just like omegas did. They were driven to mate an in-heat omega, much like an omega was driven to be mated during their heat, everything and everyone else be damned. 

A bonded omega could only be mated by their bonded partner. So whilst their bodies didn’t stop producing heat hormones and scents altogether, they changed, so that only other omegas or their bond partner would be able to smell them.

The risk of death was too great otherwise. 

Historically, alphas often killed to mate an in-heat omega, sometimes they’d kill the omega, it wasn’t that common now, but it still happened. The media always painted it as a sob story, the odd alpha that had gone off the deep end and killed in a heat-craze. The media skewing things like they always did but there was nothing sad about it when it happened. 

Bonds could be dissolved, but it wasn’t without great risk to the omega involved, so bonds were never supposed to be formed lightly. Not that that stopped some assholes from forming bonds just because they could. As part of the DPD, Gavin had seen one too many broken bonds to know that it happened and quite regularly too.

There was about a 30 to 70 chance she’d survive, even with the proper medical care.

Gavin looked up and caught Nines’ eye and it was like a wave of realisation swept through the room. 

“We need to get an ambulance here, stat.”

At the sound of Hank’s voice, the woman tensed up. Buried herself deeper into Gavin’s arms, like she was trying to make herself smaller and hide. It made his heart break.  
  
“No! No, no, no! Vin-Vincent? Vincent, no. I’m sorry, please!”  
  
Gavin closed his eyes. Hearing that name escape the woman’s lips made something shift in him. That pleading in her voice. He had to see this through.  
  
“I n-need… W-where? Vin...no. No, no, no. _Vincent… Please!_ ”  
  
It didn’t matter if all of this had ultimately been a business transaction, a shitty way for her to make money and put food on the table so she didn’t fucking starve, the damage had already been done. Vincent was dead and this poor girl had bonded to him. 

Alphas fucking everything up and leaving everyone else to pick up the pieces, just like always. 

Gavin heard Hank move, coming closer to them both when his eyes snapped open. 

“Don’t, she- she won’t let alphas anywhere near… I’ll take her.” Considering the situation, his voice was surprisingly calm. 

But Gavin could feel that weird concoction of emotions bubbling just below the surface. 

“Son-”  
  
“I said, I’ll _fucking_ take her, Hank!” He snapped as he glared at the Lieutenant.

His rise in tone caused the omega in his arms to let out a little strangled sound of distress and tears pricked in the corners of his eyes. He mumbled an apology under his breath, a shaky “Shh, I’m sorry”, that only she and himself could hear.  
  
“Okay.” Was the only thing Hank said in reply.

He wasn’t sure why, but he had been expecting some sort of argument. Some chastising comment, some shitty ‘why don’t you stop and think for just a second’, but nothing came. 

Gavin nodded his head and took a deep breath, centering himself before he managed to pull both himself up and the woman off the floor. He eventually looked around the room and all that met him was understanding gazes and he was grateful that everyone was keeping their distance, giving the two of them space. 

The girl still burned in his arms and it made desperation start to creep along Gavin’s spine.

Nines’ eyes held his, calm steel-grey holding pleading forest green, before the android disappeared only to reappear a few seconds later. “The way is clear for you to take her to your car.”

The walk outside took twice as long as usual. 

His partner took the lead, ushering them towards the exit, Hank and Connor forming the rear, all of them working to guide the poor woman carefully from the apartment, Gavin still holding her. 

The stairs were the most challenging, they thought the girl’s legs were going to give way on the first step down because her walking had been shaky at best, but she managed to make it about two-thirds of the way down before Gavin had to carry her. 

Luckily it was still an active crime scene, so once outside, it was a simple walk to his car since the surrounding area in the street had been cordoned off.

Hank and Connor stayed near to the building, watching as Gavin and Nines walked on ahead for a few moments before they disappeared back up to the apartment. They still had to finish cataloguing everything upstairs.

Gavin carefully bundled the girl into the passenger seat, strapping her in with the seat belt before he straightened up and closed the door. 

He knew exactly which hospital to take her to; it was the same one he had been taken to, the same one he knew Elijah owned an entire fucking wing of through CyberLife, Beaumont Grosse Point. It was second to none in providing omega care so Gavin knew it was the best place for her. 

The woman had her right cheek pressed up against the glass and she caught his eye through the window. Gavin saw that glazed and confused expression and it spurred him to move quicker. To be quicker.

Gavin strode over to the driver’s side, his thoughts so preoccupied that he didn’t even notice that Nines was still lingering by the side on the curb. He opened the door and was all but ready to climb in, one leg already inside the car when Nines called out his name. “ _Gavin_.”

He snapped his head to where Nines was standing and watched as his partner strode over. The android stopped in front of him, cocking an eyebrow and waiting until Gavin got his leg back out the car, giving his attention fully to him. “What is it, Nines?”

“You’re going to take her to Beaumont, I assume?” His carefully measured tone managed to strike right into the center of his chest.

He faltered for a second, blinking as his thoughts caught up with him. He had been expecting Nines to argue with him, but that was because he was fully leaning into his adrenaline that was pumping through his veins and that wasn’t fair, so Gavin softened his stance and became less defensive. 

“I-yeah.” He answered with a sigh. 

Nines mirrored his partner’s body language, easing his stiff posture just slightly, grey eyes holding Gavin’s. “I’ll ring ahead and let them know to expect you.”

“Thank you.”  
  
“You’re welcome.”

Gavin nodded and was just about to get into his car when he felt Nines’ hand on his shoulder. He turned his attention back to him, seeing that his partner had taken off his blazer and was holding it out to him. “Take it with you.”

He frowned, his features pulled into a scowl. “I-Uh, thanks, but she’s already in my jac-”  
  
“Not for her, but for you. If you need it.” Nines promptly cut him off.  
  
Gavin didn’t know what to say.  
  
Nines was an alpha so he couldn’t accompany him to the hospital. So, he was doing the next best thing; giving him his blazer purely so Gavin would have a piece of him if he needed that comfort and reassurance.  
  
He reached out, slowly taking Nines’ jacket and tucking it under an arm, the android smiling at him as he stood there. If Gavin didn’t know better, he would have said that in that moment, Nines’ smile seemed tired almost. He opened his mouth, he needed to apologise because now would be the perfect fucking time but all of his thoughts whirled in his head and a lump formed in his throat.  
  
“Nines… I-” Gavin paused, took a deep breath and visibly swallowed before he tried to continue, “I- I’m…”  
  
He still didn’t know why he found it so fucking difficult but luckily, Nines decided to meet him halfway.  
  
“I know.” The android started softly. “We’ll talk more later, but right now, focus on the task at hand. If I don’t hear anything from you, I’ll ring you later. Be careful.”

Gavin matched Nines’ tired smile with one of his own. He gave his alpha one last tired nod before he clambered into his car. 

He turned his key in the ignition, drove slowly up to the police barrier and once he was clear, Gavin turned on his siren and drove. 

The apartment complex was in Warrendale and the hospital was on the other side of the city so it was roughly a thirty minute drive before Gavin pulled up into the parking lot by the south-side emergency wing. 

He managed to pull the woman out of his car and thought he was going to have to struggle and walk her over to the entrance but was surprised when a small group of nurses strode over to him. One of them had a wheelchair.

“Your partner called ahead and explained the situation, we’ll take it from here, Sir. It’s okay.” A nurse soothed. 

They gently pried the woman from Gavin’s grip, it only loosening when he finally realised what was happening and that she wasn’t in any imminent danger, when his rational brain finally kicked in and said that they were indeed here to help. Once she was in the wheelchair, they carted her away and Gavin just stared after them, a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach.  
  
“You’ll have to come in and leave some details, but afterwards, you’re more than welcome to stay.”

Gavin felt a strange sense of deja vu, like he had been here before, standing in this very spot, going through basically the same thing. Technically he had, he just couldn’t remember. 

An omega’s recollection of their heat was sporadic at best. They remembered glimpses. Feelings. Emotions. Scents-

_Nines! Pl- please!! Niiines! I good prom-promise! Nines! NIIIINES!_

He came back into himself, numbly nodding his understanding before the nurse turned and sprinted after the others. In his rush to get the woman out and into the hospital, Gavin had left Nines’ jacket in his car. He hadn’t gone far but it’s absence still managed to hang heavy around his neck, so he rushed back and put it on before heading into reception. 

Gavin left his contact details, flashed his badge and filled out the correct forms so he could carry his gun. Once he got given the floor, he made his way to it, doing it all again once he got to the separate reception for the specific department he’d be waiting in. 

He sat down in a chair.

Hours past.

Two went by before a doctor came out and saw him at all, only to ask if the woman had any medical insurance. Gavin didn’t know but he said he’d take care of it, he didn’t fucking care how much it cost. Plus he’d reach out to Elijah anyway.

Fucker owed him a favour. Or ten.

After that doctor had seen him, Gavin was left alone again. He went back to waiting, slumped over in one of the tiny plastic chairs. 

After an hour, he started fidgeting, his right leg bouncing as his nerves set in. After another, he got up, shooting Nines a quick text just to say that he was okay, before ultimately deciding to stretch his legs by getting a shitty coffee out of a vending machine that was in a hallway. It was way too hot, burning his throat as it went down but Gavin didn’t care. Anything to distract him from the fact that being here this time was bringing back way too hazy heat-memories than he cared for. 

Two more hours of waiting went by before he finally learnt that the woman was in a stable condition.

It had been late afternoon when he had rushed her in and it was now nine in the evening.  
  
Gavin was fucking exhausted. He was in no condition to drive back to his apartment, so he text Nines, praying that his partner was still at the precinct so he could hopefully wrangle a ride from one of their friends.

He vaguely registered a ping, looked down at his phone, focusing in on the words ‘be there in fifteen’ and the rest became a blur. 

Tears started to prick in the corners of his eyes as he sat there. Gavin didn’t know why. After ten minutes, he dragged himself up out of the chair and made his way slowly back towards the entrance. 

When he caught sight of Nines walking towards him five minutes later, he broke down as the android pulled him into a hug. Hot tears spilling against his alpha’s shoulder.

“N-nines, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so fucking sorry, I’m-”

Gavin found it so hard to apologise but now, he couldn’t fucking stop.  
  
“I know.”  
  
Gavin just let it all out and Nines let him, just holding him as they stood in the quiet reception area of the hospital together.  
  
“Joseph is waiting outside with a car. Let’s go home.”

He had saved the woman. 

That woman in the photos. But little did Gavin know that afternoon that she would be the catalyst that would cause all his darker thoughts to come crashing back to the surface and break him. 

Gavin just hoped that now, he’d be able to build himself back up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't post it with this chapter, but I do have a playlist for this fic I want to put out sometime soon.
> 
> If you've read this far, I hope I've managed to do these themes justice because I didn't want to trivialise anything, I wanted something to be a turning point for Gavin in this fic. Hopefully this is it.
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope you all take care in these weird times! <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is another heavy chapter, so I need to give another warning;  
> Gavin finally starts to open up about his childhood trauma in the first half of this chapter, there's mentions of abuse and attempted sexual assault, the R word is used at one point. So, please keep in mind while reading the beginning.
> 
> The chapter gets much lighter after the page break.

“I…” He paused, “I just need you to listen to me, Nines.”

The drive back to his apartment was less awkward than Gavin thought it was going to be. 

Either Nines had deftly explained the situation on the way over or Joseph was just the type of person that could handle any and all situations with the grace of a fucking saint. 

He just drove the two of them back to Gavin’s apartment in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. When Joseph pulled up to the building, he mentioned in passing how Gavin, Tina and him should meet up and have a drink some time.  
  
“Take care of him, okay, Nines?”  
  
Those twinkling green eyes and the warmly concerned smile Allen shot his way managed to lift his spirits for just a second and he cracked a smile back.

Gavin gripped the coffee mug a little tighter in his hand, letting out a hard sigh in the process.  
  
He didn’t have any alcohol in his apartment, no whiskey to burn his throat as he drank, so when they stepped through the door after Joseph had said his goodbyes, he had made the next best thing.  
  
“I- I’m-” Gavin sighed again, cutting himself off as he took a deep breath and looked down at his coffee. The murky brown liquid wasn’t going to offer him solace this time. 

He shook his head, cracking a harshly self-deprecating smile as he huffed out a laugh. His heart was beating so much that it felt like it was going to explode out of his chest and Gavin’s face quickly settled back into a neutral yet slightly morose expression.  
  
“It’s funny, y’know? You always have it in your head how these sorta talks are going to go. You rehearse it a thousand fucking times but it doesn’t matter.” His voice was rough as he spoke but for once, it didn’t waver.  
  
Gavin’s grip tightened again for just a second around the mug before he took a gulp, the coffee scalding his throat as it went down, but it didn’t matter, the sensation gave him focus. “You know I left home at sixteen?” 

He looked Nines in the eye and sniffed in a deep breath. The android just studied him, letting the man take the time he needed as he leant back against the kitchen counter, his omega peering up at him from where he was hunched over the breakfast bar.  
  
It almost mirrored their argument a few days ago.  
  
Except this time it wasn’t hostile, they were trying to build bridges. Gavin talking and Nines listening, both trying to meet each other halfway. This time, Nines just hoped the man wouldn’t burn them down before he even had a chance to lay the foundations.

“Yeah... straight up fuckin’ left and didn’t look back. Reached a point where I just couldn’t take it anymore.”

Gavin tapped his thumb softly against the counter top. Nothing loud. A small repetitive action that he used in lieu of sighing. He couldn’t fucking sigh anymore.  
  
“Do you know the straw that broke the camel’s back, Nines? It wasn’t my piece of shit step-father. It wasn’t my fucking mother beating me for simply existing. It wasn’t the fact that she caused the gash on my nose to get worse when she smacked me clean across the face for making sure I didn’t get fucking spiked at _sixteen…_ ”  
  
The man rearranged himself in his seat.  
  
“Nah... It was Elijah.” 

He scratched at his thumb with his middle finger and pulled a face. A quick frown flittered across his features, but Nines simply continued to listen.

“He just… stood by. Said I was lying. Said I deserved getting treated like shit. Said I deserved almost getting spiked and f-fucking raped because I didn’t act like an omega, that if I had just acted more-” Gavin cut himself as he cleared his throat. “That if I just rolled over, then half of the shit in my life wouldn’t have happened.”  
  
Nines could hear how thick the man’s voice was. 

It was the tone of someone trying to keep their shit together. The tone of someone desperately trying to keep the tears at bay. Of someone trying not to break down again.

“Why didn’t I act more like an omega; as if my mother didn’t fucking chastise me almost every single fucking day of my childhood until I fucking ran away for something I couldn’t change… One time, y’know, I overheard her blame me for my father’s death? Yeah, like fuck his car accident! He died to avoid having an omega as a son!”

Gavin barked out a hoarse laugh. The kind that was dismissive and cutting. As soon as he let it out, the sound died and the man ducked his head. Kept his eyes glued to the mug in his hands.  
  
“It’s… strange how most of it just… fuckin’ blurs together. The things you remember and the things you don’t, the things you force yourself to forget so you can just… get through it. But there’s always something about… fuckin’ words, Nines. Some of them just stick with you no matter what.”

_You’re mine, Gavin-_

He paused, pushing Neil out of his mind. Took another gulp of coffee.

“E-Eli-” Gavin cleared his throat again. Stopped as he sighed and composed himself for just a moment. “Elijah? I thought the fucking world of him. He was my brother, I thought he had my back no matter what. Was always the one I could fucking _trust_. So, when he said that to me? I don’t know, something snapped... I just… I fucking left.”

Silence quickly filled the apartment as Gavin fell quiet again. He downed the last of his mug’s meager contents and set it back on the counter, glaring at it as if it was the mug’s fault it was empty. 

Nines didn’t even hesitate to put on a fresh pot. 

“Packed a bag which was fucking tiny and left, in the middle of the fucking night and didn’t look back. So yeah… It wasn’t my piece of shit mother, it was Elijah.”  
  
The man bowed his head and let out laugh. It was hollow and something that dwindled quickly in the silence, it managing to mix with the sound of the coffee maker.

“I didn’t resent Elijah for being an alpha or for being smarter than I was. I never resented him for being the one my mother and step-father actually liked and y’know… _didn’t hit._ Nah, it was for thinking that someone who had been there for me... s-someone who was supposedly fucking different, someone that had been nothing but good, just turning around and… and really being like everyone else.”

Gavin could feel tears start to prick at the corners of his eyes. He just prayed he’d have a few minutes longer before they started coming. 

He wasn’t lying when he had said that he’d rehearsed all the things he had wanted to say a thousand different times. The things he wanted to say to his mother if he ever saw her again. The things he’d say to Elijah if he ever wanted to hash out old arguments. 

All the things he’d say so he could finally get the closure he never got. 

Gavin opened his mouth, faltering as his thoughts finally caught up with him and he could feel the tears start to well. He knew they were going to fall now. 

He felt one slowly slide down his cheek. Felt another run down the length of his nose, it doing the fucking cliche thing of collecting on the tip before finally falling off and landing on the counter top. 

“When did you start speaking to Elijah again?” Nines asked.

Gavin swiped away the tears that were falling down his face, wiping his nose with his wrist before he sniffed. He blinked, pulled a quick face, let out a harsh short cough. All over exaggerations. Actions people did to shake out the tension. The emotions.

“About a year or so before the revolution. He’d actually tried to get in contact with me a few times before that, y’know? Confidently called me up several times because he’d found my number or some shit. Never fucking apologised. Spoke like nothing had happened. Spoke like he’d done nothing wrong... I changed my number every time he did.”  
  
“What changed?”  
  
“I… called _him_ one day. I don’t fucking know what made me do it and we… met up at some fucking bar somewhere. Elijah apologised in his own shitty way… we talked a few things out and for the sake of having my brother back in my life in some way, I accepted.”  
  
“Did that ever really give you the closure you needed?”

That made Gavin truly stop for a second. He looked Nines in the eyes, searching those calm greys for some form of guidance on what to say. But none came. Nines was here to support him but it was for Gavin to say alone. He had to be the one to break that barrier.

“I guess it... _didn’t._ I thought it did, thought it was enough but… maybe I’ve just been pretending that it was.”

This was the first step.

“I closed the door on my mother. I couldn’t really give a shit if I never get to say the things I want to say to her… I made my peace with that a long fucking time ago but I guess…”

Gavin cut himself off with a hard shrug. 

“I don’t know, Nines. I thought I’d dealt with all this but… obviously not. Just… fucking ignored it, pushed it somewhere deep down until I forgot about it and I guess all this with Neil is just… bringing it back up. All the fucking shit I thought I got over. It’s like I’m… looking back and just begging for it all again, considering all the past hurt a fucked up comfort because that’s all I’ve ever really known, even if I didn’t know it.”

That admission made something heavy settle in Gavin’s chest.

Since hurt and trauma were the only things he’d ever truly known, he would time and time again pursue them. Chasing arguments and physical violence, whether consciously or subconsciously, it didn’t matter.

Almost like he was recreating bad experiences because he wasn’t done with them, like if he could live them again and again, perhaps the outcome would be different. 

Pushing people away in advance to avoid that inevitable shattering of trust and sense of betrayal he felt due to the last and only time he had ever put that much faith in someone. Because if Gavin had put that much faith in his own brother and Elijah had turned out to be a piece of shit just like everyone else, then no wonder everyone else was fair game. 

Putting up walls and playing into his already natural temper to avoid any perceived slight, no matter how small. It was his defense mechanism.

But what had happened was in the past. 

And if Gavin was going to move forward, then he had to make peace with it, not only for his sake, but for everyone else in his life, too.  
  
Nines wasn’t Elijah and it wasn’t fair to treat him like he was going to make the same mistakes his brother had made. Not every alpha was like his brother.

Not every alpha was like his mother either. Or like his step-father. Or like the ones that had left him high and dry the few years he couldn’t take blockers. 

He had Tina, Hank, Allen and even Fowler that all told him that wasn’t the case.

“I keep falling back into a… fucking… a fucking goddamn shitty cycle and it’s not fair on me, it’s not fair on you… you’re not Elijah, Nines.”  
  
“No. I’m not.”

That sentence hung heavy in the air. 

Nines hadn’t said it maliciously. It was simply the truth. 

Gavin bowed his head but strangely, no tears came. It was like he had no more left to give. 

“I-I’m not trying to excuse my behaviour or how I’ve treated you, Nines… I don’t know… this- this whole thing, sitting here, _talking_ … getting it out in the open, it’s fuckin’ hard and you do not have to forgive me in the slightest, I want to earn that from you… I just hope that you- that… perhaps you can start to understand…” 

“I do.”  
  
Those two simple words were like a balm Gavin didn’t realise he so desperately needed. Encouragement. Compassion. Just someone to fucking listen.

“But I understand that words don’t mean jack shit. Actions speak louder. Always have, always will. You’re here for me but it’s… it’s not fair to saddle you with all my shit, you’ve listened to more than enough… I…” Gavin trailed off and closed his eyes. He swallowed down his fear. Breathed in harshly through his nose and out through his mouth. All before opening his eyes again. 

“I need to get help. To speak to someone about… all this.”

Gavin didn’t dare to look up at Nines. He had finally said his piece. Gotten to those words that had ultimately been so hard to say when he had first started talking, the words that Nines couldn’t say for him - the open admission that he needed help.

He actively played into his omega instincts for the first time in life, not because he had to, but because he _chose_ to. He stopped trying to fight that itch that told him to submit and did it. 

He finally just was.

He was an omega now bowing his head, averting his gaze and just… waiting.

Because it was now completely up to his partner, his boyfriend, no, _his alpha_ \- it was Nines’ choice to take the branch that his omega was extending and his alone. 

The silence drew out and Gavin felt his stomach start to sink. 

He clenched his hands into fists, was about to push himself up and out of the barstool he was slumped in when he felt Nines settle down beside him on his right.  
  
“It takes a lot to talk as you just did, Gavin... and to recognise that you need help-” The man felt a hand come to rest gently on top of his that was on the counter. Felt as fingers slowly entwined, Nines taking Gavin’s hand softly in his own. “- I’m proud of you.”

His boyfriend squeezed gently at his hand and Gavin reciprocated the action, rubbing his thumb gently at any part of Nines he could find and silence once again settled over the pair.  
  
“I do accept your apology, but we will still need to work on things. But... we will do it _together_.” 

Gavin felt his alpha carefully lean in closer and decided to meet him halfway, resting against the android’s chest slightly and he felt Nines press a light kiss to his temple.

A blink-and-you-miss-it thing, but something that was no less important.  
  
It made the butterflies that were dancing finally settle in Gavin’s stomach, it managing to ease the anxieties that always seemed to take root whenever he had to have a difficult conversation.

His mind raced a mile a minute and he usually ended up spewing any old bullshit that popped into his head; some of it made sense and some of it didn’t. 

The same thing had happened when he had come out to Tina as bisexual in the beginning of their friendship, but at least this time, Gavin didn’t stumble over his words. It was the smallest of silver linings considering everything, but the man would take whatever he could get. 

As he sat there, Gavin’s tiredness finally crept up on him and he lowered his head as the need to submit and be the meekly obedient omega that his blood dictated him to be, became too difficult to ignore once more.

“I’m sorry, Nines… I’m-”

“Shh, no more apologies, not tonight. It’s okay…” 

The android promptly cut him off and gave his shoulder a quick squeeze, all reassurance, before slowly backing away.

“I’ll feed Ruby and be on the sofa afterwards… let you have some space.” Nines’ words were nothing but gentle as he spoke them, he even offered Gavin a comforting smile to bolster them, but he must have caught that slightly panicked look in his omega’s eye as he moved away. “You need _some_ space, Gavin. Just sit here, take thirty minutes to catch your breath and I’ll be right over there waiting.” He said as he gestured over to the man’s couch. 

“I’m not going anywhere, Gavin, I _promise_ you.”  
  
The man finally nodded his head.  
  
His alpha was right, he needed space to clear his head, to just take a moment. 

This was just the first step, but those were always the hardest.

Nines was just about to turn when Gavin finally found his words again.  
  
“Nines?"

“Yes?”  
  
_“Thank you.”_

  
  


****

  
  
  


Gavin was standing in front of their board upstairs at the precinct.

Six big headshots, all with red X’s through them.

Back to square fucking one. 

He put his hands on his hips with a heavy sigh, he didn’t even really know why he was up here. It was like Gavin thought if he stared at them long enough, that perhaps a fucking idea or the fucking solution to their case would materialise out of thin fucking air. 

Gavin shook his head, snapping himself out that line of thinking so his thoughts didn’t spiral, so he didn’t end up in that pitfall of staring at a blank map for four hours, just jerking himself off with his self pity as he got nothing done.

He had handled these types of cases before, solved them before. He just needed to focus.

 _You’ve put this map up for a reason_. _Just use your fucking brain, dumbass!_

That woman they found a few days ago at the apartment in Warrendale, that was why Gavin had put the map up of the city and surrounding areas. 

He carefully pushed in a small red pin, directly on top of the address.

Neil and the new strain of Red Ice.

He couldn’t help but feel that they were connected. That Fowler had called on him and Nines to assist with the Task Force in some weird twist of fate that day. The way the woman had been when they had found her, it was too much of a coincidence to shake.

Hank had mentioned that all the victims so far to this strain had been employees from either LifeLine or CyberLife. Gavin turned to face the table in the middle of the room, picking up a tablet and unlocking it, having had the Lieutenant forward all the relevant information to him earlier in the day. 

He scrolled through the names and information, biting at his lip as he flicked through photo after photo. There were twenty victims so far, twenty one if you also counted Vincent from the other day and after about thirty minutes of reading, all of the others were also pinned to the map in red.

They were all spread out, a few clustered together, but all were mainly located in the poorer areas of the city. It was smart in a way - if there hadn’t been so many victims in such a short space of time, then perhaps it could have flown under the radar for longer because the deaths would have been just another drop in the sea of deprivation. They would have become just another statistic in some police report somewhere, escaping notice until it was too late.

Next, Gavin began to pin the actual home addresses of the victims, it taking another ten minutes until a little cluster of black pins were on the map.

They were mainly focused in the richer areas of the city, focused in Downtown and in well-respected neighbourhoods nearer the two companies. He couldn’t really say he was surprised.

Besides being a map of victim correlation, it could have also served as a reminder of the divide between rich and poor. A perfect visual representation of just exactly who suffers the most in the world with this type of shit. 

The rich wanted to get high? Wanted to get fucked up and reap the benefits of shitty decisions without dealing with the consequences? What better way than to keep at it arm’s length. 

The longer Gavin stood there, looking at the pins, the more he thought that it didn’t make any fucking sense.

Why produce a new version of an already established drug if it had such a high mortality rate?

Was this a trial run? Were they ironing out the kinks and would that explain why the victims so far had only been CyberLife and LifeLine employees? Did the companies know? Was Neil really involved? If so, why? How was he choosing who to distribute this new Red Ice to? 

_How?_

_Why?_

Gavin chucked the tablet back on the table behind him with a heavy sigh.

They were starting to get at something, he could feel it, but it still didn’t make what was in front of him any less fucking confusing and abstract.

He needed a fucking coffee, to take a break and stretch his legs.

Give himself a mental reset. 

Gavin stretched his arms up above his head, letting out a yawn before he picked up his jacket that was hung on the back of a chair. He smoothed down his shirt, pushing down his sleeves that he had rolled up to his elbows in the process before pulling on his jacket.

He strode from the conference room, heard the door click locked behind him and walked the rest of the way almost on autopilot. Once Gavin’s mind settled on coffee, no matter how shitty, it usually overtook everything else and his feet carried him towards the break room with minimal effort. 

The man spied Hank, Connor and Nines all lingering by the Lieutenant's desk in the bullpen as he downed the stairs, the three of them in deep conversation. 

_The fuck they doin’?_

A quick frown crossed his features before he pushed the thought from his mind. 

Coffee first, annoying work problems second. 

He caught Nines’ eye as he lingered a little too long in the stairwell, his partner shooting him a reassuring smile before he went back to talking to Anderson. 

It helped to pick up his mood, leaving a light feeling to settle into his gut for once as he shoved his hands into his pockets, a small smile curling at the corner of his lips as he sauntered towards the break room.

After rounding the corner, he was surprised to find Allen and Tina crowding around the one tiny standing table, the two of them talking.

Gavin had always joked that every alpha in his fucking life knew each other; but it almost seemed like it was true. 

He was just about to open his mouth and ask them why they were here in his usual trademark way, but Tina beat him to the punch. And in a much nicer way.

“Gav!”  
  
“Hey, T.”

She smiled at him from where they were standing. 

“What are you two talking about? I didn’t even realise you two knew each other.” Gavin asked as innocently as he could as he made his way towards the coffee machine. 

He stopped in front of it, pressing a button before he turned back to face the pair as he waited for the thing to work it’s shitty magic. He frowned as he caught sight of her slightly annoyed expression. 

“Fuckin’ what?” He asked with a quick shrug of his shoulders.

Tina let out an audible sigh which only caused Gavin’s confusion to deepen.  
  
“Don’t you ‘fuckin’ what’ me, Gavin Reed!”  
  
“What, T?!”  
  
She shook her head, a strange half-smile on her face, the type that was trying to be something angry but had too much kindness in it. Like she was desperately trying not to laugh. 

“Tina’s been worried about you.” Joseph simply offered, the woman giving the SWAT captain’s shoulder a quick playful shove at the admission. 

She quickly knocked back the rest of her coffee, chucking the empty to-go cup in the trash can by the table before she made her way to stand with Gavin. 

They both watched the little paper cup pop out of the bottom of the machine and heard the thing slowly fill it up with shitty break room coffee.

“I’ve always thought that all you fuckin’ guys-”  
  
“Guys?”  
  
“Yeah…”  
  
Tina shot Gavin a frown and the man let out an audible noise of frustration.  
  
“ _Fine_.” He corrected himself with a huff. “All you fuckin’ alphas, that all of you in my life just meet up every few weeks and have like... a massive circle-jerk about me. Like, really? I’m flattered but-”

Tina promptly cut him off with a quick punch to his right shoulder. “Hey! Fuck you!”  
  
Gavin feigned a look of pain, rubbing at his shoulder in an overly dramatic manner which earned him a shoulder bump, the two of them shooting each other friendly smiles, Gavin having to stifle a laugh as he caught sight of the woman’s slightly mothering expression.

Both of them were desperately trying not to laugh and be serious for just a second, like brother and sister.

“Hey, listen, you’ve text me… _once_ in the past I don’t know how many weeks, G, what am I supposed to do?!” Tina explained.

“What? Are you worried about me, T?” Gavin couldn’t stop himself.

“So what if I am, asshole?” Her tone started to turn more serious.

The man rearranged himself, crossing his arms against his chest as he pulled a face, rolling his tongue around the inside of his mouth in place of talking. Tina had a point.

He wasn’t sure how much she knew, if Joseph had told her about what happened a few days ago, but to say he’d practically fell off the radar in regards to keeping regular contact with the few people who cared about him wouldn’t be too much of a lie. 

The man let out a sigh, dropping the line of his shoulders just slightly as he curbed his defensive attitude, biting down the need to push back for just a second. “Nah, I- yeah, sorry, you’ve got a point. Allen said the other day how we should all meet up for a drink sometime soon, whadda ya say?” Gavin posed. “I’ll buy.” 

He conveniently left out the part about how ‘the other day’ was when he had his fucking breakdown at the hospital.

Tina looked quickly between the two of them, slyly throwing her gaze back at Joseph for a second before focusing back on the omega at her side. 

“Captain Perfect over there mentioned it already-”  
  
“ _Hey!_ ”  
  
The two of them ignored Joseph’s interruption, Tina shooting the man a middle finger, flipping him off for just a second without breaking her attention from Gavin beside her.

“- _and_... I think that would be perfect, especially if you’re buyin’ Gav. I think the least you can do for fuckin’ ghosting your best-fucking-friend like a prick is to buy me a drink or five, huh?” 

“Yeah fuckin’ yeah… _fuckin’_ _five,_ shit… don’t push your luck, T, I’m not made of fuckin’ money.” 

Tina shot Gavin a smile, softening her expression as the man finally grabbed the paper cup from the machine. She moved in closer, crossing her arms against her chest now as she held her friend’s gaze. “All jokes aside, Gav, you’re okay, yeah?” Her voice was quieter, gentler. 

Gavin didn’t do well with feelings, especially not in public, so the quiet tone she used had a small smile spreading across his face.

“I-I think I’m getting there, T, but... thank you, I’ll be okay.”

Tina studied his face for just a second longer.  
  
“Okay, but I’m here if you wanna talk.”  
  
“I know.”  
  
“ _Good_.”

She bumped her shoulder against him one last time before she stepped back, clearly getting ready to leave. “I gotta get back so I’ll leave you two to talk about boys or whatever you guys do. Shoot me a text about that drink, okay, Joseph?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Allen answered kindly as he shot her a smile.

Tina gave Joseph a quick wave which the man matched quickly with a little two fingered salute before she finally disappeared out of the break room. 

Gavin stared after her for a few seconds before he made his way over to the table, leaning over it as he took a sip of his coffee. He winced slightly at just how weak it was.

“You hate it too, huh?” Joseph chuckled.

“Yeah. You might as well drink hot water and save some goddamn time.” Gavin answered.

“It tastes like fucking shit.” Allen said in a hushed tone without missing a beat. 

Gavin genuinely cracked the biggest smile he had all day from behind the cup, bowing his head as he huffed out a laugh. Joseph rarely swore, so whenever the man cursed, it was for a very specific reason. The man was a southern boy scout, no matter how much he tried to argue otherwise, so hearing him swear never failed to make Gavin smile because it was strangely endearing.

The Captain matched his smile as he knocked back the last of his own, the man’s face pulling into a slight grimace as he downed the last of it. He brushed off Gavin’s teasing laugh and let the mood settle for a few minutes before he spoke up.

“That the other day… How you doing?” 

Joseph was also very direct and straightforward. 

Not in a bad way, but in a way that came with years of leadership. Fowler was much the same way and it was something that Gavin always had a secret respect for.

“It’s going to be a long fuckin’ road, but... I think I’ll be okay.” Gavin said quietly but offered the man beside him a weary smile.

Allen said nothing, he just matched Gavin’s expression for a second, gave a quick nod of his head and kept the man company as he drank the rest of his shitty coffee. 

“I-uh, just wanted to say thanks for uh, y’know for driving Nines to the hospital and-”

“Honestly, don’t mention it, Gav… You’re good. You need help anytime, okay? You know where to find me.” Joseph’s steadily calm voice cut him off.

Silence once again settled between the pair and a few minutes later, Gavin had finally finished drinking his coffee. 

“So… Captain Perfect, huh? What’s that all about?”

It was Joseph’s turn to laugh. 

“It was either that or _Captain America_ sooo, yeah, I knew which one I wanted.”

Gavin shook his head with a roll of his eyes as he chucked his cup in the trash. It wasn’t lunch just yet so it was time to get back to work, Allen knew it too, so the both of them moved slowly back towards the bullpen.

“I didn’t even know you and Tina knew each other.”

“Hey, I gotta have some secrets,” Joseph paused as he shot Gavin a wink which only earnt him another eyeroll and he let out a laugh, “Shoot you a text about that drink sometime soon?”

“Yeah, sounds good.”

The two of them lingered in the entrance, looking over the precinct, the SWAT Captain shooting Fowler a quick nod as the man caught his eye in his office.

“I’ve got a meeting with Jeffrey I gotta get to but before I go...” Allen trailed off, turning so he gave Gavin his full attention. “Any ideas for a birthday present? I mean besides that threesome with Nines?” He asked, completely deadpan.

Gavin felt his cheeks immediately go red. “Oh, fuck you, J.”

Joseph just laughed, that light fucking laugh and it managed to ease Gavin’s hostility. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Let me know if you think of anything proper… Take care, okay?”

The Captain gave his shoulder a quick pat before he moved off towards Fowler’s office, Gavin’s eyes subconsciously drifting to the man’s ass, his cheeks beginning to burn the longer he stared. He finally snapped himself out of his thoughts a few moments later. 

“That whole thing is just a joke by the way!” Gavin called after him.

“Sure, but it so easily couldn’t be. I’ll see you around!” Allen instantly called back.

The man turned and shot Gavin a wink before he opened the door, disappearing into Jeffrey’s office and left Gavin gaping after him.

Was he seriously considering a threesome now? _Perhaps._

He finally pulled himself from where he had become glued to the floor and made his way towards where Hank, Connor and Nines were all still lingering by the Lieutenant's desk. He bypassed his own on the way, scooping up his phone as he walked past.

His eyes caught sight of the crack in the screen, it making a slightly sour feeling settle in his gut as he pressed the home button to see if he had missed anything in the time he’d been upstairs.

One missed call and a voicemail flashed up on screen and Gavin frowned.

He chewed at the inside of his lip as he held his phone up to his ear as he came to a stand by his partner. “The fuck y’all circle-jerking over here for?”

“Nines just had a query.” Connor replied.

Gavin’s attention was caught between two different things, so he only caught half of the conversation. But he heard Connor explain how Nines had received an order from CyberLife for a check-up and that his partner was just worried seeing as how he had never received one before.

“Connor said that it’s normal for them to send summons for check-ups.” Nines said.

“See? Even advanced models like you need one. First one is always the worst but I’ll go with you if you like.” Gavin replied.

He smiled at Nines, his partner matching it with a small one of his own as the voicemail finally started playing in his ear. 

His attention drifted once again, only vaguely registering that Hank grumbled something about ‘keeping that lovey-dovey shit far away from his face’, but Gavin still heard enough to shoot Anderson a scowl and the finger with his free hand.

The older man was just about to bite back when he saw the change in Gavin’s expression, watching as the young detective’s face dropped.

“Everything okay, Kid?” Hank asked, tone serious.

A frown flitted across Gavin’s features before he gathered himself and he slipped his phone slowly back into his pocket.“I- that woman from the crime scene… She’s finally awake and coherent enough for visitors, so the hospital wants me to come in.” 

“Makes sense. She could be the turning point we so desperately need in all this, Reed. Keep in touch, okay?” 

“Uh-huh… Nines? I’ll uh- I’ll see you back at home, okay?” Gavin was rambling, his thoughts already elsewhere, thinking about that woman and he was just about to turn and leave when Nines’ voice brought him back to the present.

“I’ll see you back at home. _Stay safe._ ”

_Stay safe._

The way Nines said that was enough to make Gavin give his partner his attention for a moment.

_Don’t spiral and lose yourself._

_Keep your head._

The smile they exchanged only lasted for a few seconds, but it said everything they couldn’t. 

It was everything Gavin needed, it bolstered his mood and settled the nerves that he didn’t even realise had formed in the pit of his stomach. He nodded a quick thanks before he turned on his heel and quickly made his way to the underground parking garage.

Since traffic was light, it only took him twenty minutes to drive to the hospital. 

But if Gavin had known what was going to happen whilst he was there, perhaps he would have hoped for a longer drive. Perhaps he would have hoped that the hospital never got into contact with him at all. 

It only took him twenty minutes to go through the system. Twenty minutes before Gavin found himself sitting by the woman’s bed, waiting for her to wake up. 

Before he had gone in, he finally learnt her name. Well, her first one. It was Christina. 

He peered around the tiny room she was in.

There were no cards. There were no ‘get well soon’ balloons, no basket of stupid fucking gifts. Nothing but four walls and that starkly clinical atmosphere that never failed to make Gavin’s skin crawl. He wondered if she had actually had any visitors at all. 

He was starting to get fucking sick of hospitals.

Gavin leaned back in the chair he was sitting in, he crossed his arms and stretched out his legs slightly as he suppressed a yawn. He was just about to pull out his phone to pass the time, start looking up some of the therapists Elijah had forwarded his way and decide which were actually within his fucking price range when a small voice stopped him in his tracks. 

“W-who the f-fuck are you?”

The raw strength in her voice despite the fact that she was still in bed recovering made a smile cross Gavin’s lips, it reminded him of himself in a way, or at least how he should be and he couldn’t help but huff out a laugh.

“My name is Gavin Reed.”

“A-and?”

There was no pulling the wool over her eyes, which given everything, Gavin respected. He had to go about this smartly if he wanted her to open up. 

“And... if I tell you who I’m with, you’ll just tell me to fuck off out that door.” He quickly pointed a finger to the exit and rearranged himself in his seat as he caught her eye, a sly expression on his face as he clasped his hands together in his lap. 

The fire he saw in those blue eyes that were staring back at him, the silent challenge, it made something strange settle in his chest. 

He got her attitude. He really did.

“F-fucking try me, _Gavin Reed_.”

“I’m a detective and I work for the DPD.” He didn’t break eye contact as he spoke, his voice carefully steady.

He was on the clock now, so his own problems took a backseat and when push came to shove, Gavin could do professional until the fucking cows came home. He just needed the incentive and now he had one. 

Christina went completely still in the bed, not that she was moving much anyway. 

“You going to tell me to fuck off?” Gavin continued when she didn’t say anything. He cocked his head to the side and watched her.

He could see her visibly think. 

Eyes flickering away as she played something over and over in her mind, weighing up the few shitty options she had available to her before she met his gaze again a minute or so later. 

“Am I in trouble?” She asked. 

Christina had the right to ask. 

The police came sniffing around? Nevermind that she almost died, that the case they were investigating had nothing to do with her or her circumstances, they’d find something to arrest her for.

Sadly, it was the way the world worked.

Arrest her for prostitution. Arrest her for drug possession. 

Token actions that failed to do anything. Failed to solve anyone’s problems, just kept those at the bottom at the fucking bottom because nobody fucking cared about those that society constantly shit all over.

“No. I’m just here to ask a few questions.” Gavin answered. 

More thinking. Christina stared at the wall to her right, avoiding eye contact, always avoiding eye contact until she was ready to talk and Gavin gave her the space she needed. 

“What kind?” 

Again, another fair question. 

Gavin was starting to get the feeling that she had been here many times before.

“About what happened before we found you. Do you remember anything?”

It was an open question, he asked it on purpose. He knew from personal experience that Christina probably wouldn’t remember much at all. It wasn’t her fault, it was just what happened.

He watched as she eventually shook her head and Gavin made a conscious effort to keep the irritated disappointment off his face. It wasn’t her fault, but they still needed _something_ with regards to this investigation. 

“Y-you’re an omega, aren’t you? Like me?” 

That caught Gavin a little off guard. He blinked, faltering as the woman’s bluntness cut into him in a way he wasn’t expecting. He held her expectant expression, like she thought she was owed a fucking answer, but the longer they held each other’s gaze, he thought why not. 

Gavin was never really going to see her again so he might as well play along. 

“I- yeah. Yeah, I am.”  
  
“No offence, but your scent… You smell like a f-fucking Christmas candle.”

She bit back a smile and Gavin didn’t know what it was. 

It was probably the outspokenness of a fucking stranger who wasn’t afraid to get straight to the point and say the fucking obvious, but it was like he needed to hear it after months of nobody saying anything... Gavin just started laughing.

Christina slowly joined in and the two of them just laughed.

He had had enough of crying and it was cathartic in a way that Gavin didn’t realise he needed. The two of them just laughing together for a few minutes before they both started to settle down. 

“If you don’t mind me asking; how did you end up with a scent like that?” She asked, Gavin not failing to notice her voice was now an octave softer.

He sighed, it catching as a strange sound in his throat which he cleared with a cough.

“I-uh, got spiked a few months back by a fucking piece of shit and it made my scent stronger- uh, made me smell like a fucking Christmas candle.” He explained.

Gavin looked at her and shot her a small, tired smile. 

He wasn’t sure why it was so easy to open to a stranger of all people. Maybe Gavin had convinced himself it was to get Christina to open up in turn, but maybe deep down, it was because he was finally talking to someone who understood.

Someone who had gone through something similar and wasn’t afraid to get straight to the point, ask the stupid questions and talk about what Gavin felt was still the elephant in the room. Maybe it was because subconsciously, he felt that Christina treated him as a person first and an omega second. 

He knew that all of his friends did, he knew that Nines did, but there was just something about it coming from someone who was so fucking similar and who he was probably never going to see again, that it just hit differently. 

It was just easier for him to open up. 

“No shit?” There was that bluntness again. Like Christina couldn’t believe a cop had almost gone through something she had. 

“No shit.” Gavin replied. 

He watched as she settled back into the bed. Watched as she went back to thinking. It was an olive branch and a subconscious admission that Gavin so desperately needed to say all rolled into one. 

“Everything happened so fast but I do remember getting a call from someone. Whenever something weird starts happening, news starts travelling y’know?” She paused and Gavin nodded his head, wanting her to continue. “It’s always a call from the same arrogant sounding prick, always setting up time slots for alphas usually. Then they arrive, shoot up with that f-fucking weird glowy-ass Red Ice and go to f-fucking town.”

Gavin frowned.

He knew that the new Red Ice looked different. Had read that it looked different, had even read a fucking description of the fucking stuff, but hearing those words come out of Christina’s mouth, it was like something finally snapped in Gavin’s brain. 

_Glowy-ass Red Ice._

All he could think of was the mimicker he was spiked with. 

“Christina… Did you take this Red Ice as well?” He kept his voice neutral.

“Yeah.” She answered without missing a beat. 

Gavin could see the frown Christina was shooting his way and he decided to cut to the chase. 

“So your heat wasn’t natural?” He prayed he wasn’t going to get the answer that he was expecting.

“What? No.” 

_What the fuck? How does that explain-_

He was just about to open his mouth and ask another question when the door opened and Christina’s doctor peered in. “Detective Reed? I’m afraid that’s enough questioning for today. Ms. Miller needs to rest.”

Gavin swallowed down his irritation and shot the man a polite smile. “Can I just have another minute, please? Then I’ll join you outside.”  
  
The doctor just nodded his head before he disappeared back around the door, leaving the two of them alone once more.

Irritation sat in the pit of Gavin’s stomach, he was just about to get somewhere and was fucking cockblocked by a fucking doctor. He didn’t even realise the meager time he’d been allocated had been anywhere close to running out. 

Wait, could you even call that cockblocking? _Investigation-blocking?_ Who the fuck knows. 

Right, he was getting sidetracked.

Christina must have caught the slight scowl gracing his features because she started to laugh. A light sound that managed to pull Gavin from his thoughts before they spiraled. 

“Seems our times up.” He began as he leant forward in his seat.

“A-and I was just beginning to warm up to you, Gavin Reed.”

The man bowed his head, huffed out a quick laugh before he looked up and met her gaze again.

“Do you think you’ll be back?”  
  
“Perhaps... Depends if my superiors think it’s worth asking anymore questions.” 

Gavin hoped so, he felt like there was more here.

He caught sight of Christina’s expression as he pushed himself up and out of the chair and didn’t even hesitate to ask. “Hey, would you like me to come back?” 

“I- I won’t get many fucking visitors, I know that. I’ve got a kid, but I don’t want them seeing me like this… and I know you’re a cop but… Hm, I don’t know even why I’m fucking asking...”

Gavin met her halfway.

“But you’ve never met an omega that smells like a fucking Christmas candle?”

“I’ve never met an omega that smells like a fucking Christmas candle.” She repeated.

Funny how the world always managed to shove two people who just needed to find each other together. 

Gavin rummaged around in his jacket pocket, he had a pen, but no paper. He strode over to the small side table to the left of the bed, thankfully spotting a napkin and he scrawled out his phone number. “I’ll see if I can visit in a few days… Not as a cop, but just as Gavin Reed.” 

He saw her look at the napkin for just a moment before she met his eye and they exchanged a smile. “Take care, Christina.” 

A few seconds later and he was standing outside her room. 

Gavin wasn’t sure what it was. She was just a fucking stranger, but as he lingered there, thinking, the more he realised that he’d actually been serious about when he mentioned visiting her in a few days. Perhaps he’d even bring her a fucking ‘get well soon’ card so she had _something_. Maybe scribble a dick on it because it seemed like she had that sort of humour. 

He felt like she needed someone and he was it.

“Detective Reed.” 

He shook himself from his thoughts and peered over to see the doctor from earlier striding over to him. Gavin somehow completely missed earlier that it was the same doctor who had seen him for his follow up appointment, the one that had the same last name as his brother. 

He couldn’t remember his first name. P something. Patrick? Whatever. That’s what happened when you got saddled with such a well-known namesake. It wasn’t his fault, but it fucking sucked to be him. 

“She gonna make a full recovery, Doc?” Gavin asked.

“The worst of it is over, but she isn’t out of the woods yet. Externally, she’s relatively fine, it’s just her body’s internal workings that we have to keep a close eye on.”

 _Internal workings_.

Why the fuck did it always seem to be omegas that encountered no end of fucking complications? 

He had thought it when he was talking to Christina, but all of this was starting to sound so eerily similar to what had happened to him. 

Hearing the doctor stand there and speak in a relatively detached tone made something hard settle in Gavin’s chest, it just rubbed him up the wrong fucking way. 

“Detective... Before you go, I would like to speak with you. In _private._ ” 

That caused Gavin to bite down his temper. 

“Sure.”

That could only mean one thing - there was something the hospital could offer that would help in regards to the investigation, so he had to be on his best behaviour. 

Gavin followed Kamski towards his office. 

They sat down at his desk, Gavin’s eyes drifting down towards the man’s name plate. 

_So, his first name was Peter. Whatever, Patrick was close enough._

He sat there waiting patiently, waiting for whatever Peter had to tell him, watching as the older man tapped away at the computer on his desk. They sat there for a few minutes in silence, the only sound filling the tiny room was the clacking of computer keys. 

“I’m actually quite surprised to see you again, Mr. Reed, but I suppose it’s for the best.”

“How do you mean?” 

Gavin watched as Peter continued to type something on the computer, finally giving him his full attention after he had finished.

“You and Christina are more similar than you realise.”

Kamski turned the screen towards him and Gavin could see two pictures of two different molecular structures of _something_.

One of them looked like Red Ice, the other-

“The one on the right is the mimicker you got spiked with.”  
  
“And the one on the left?”  
  
“That’s the new strain of Red Ice. The one Christina had in her system-”

Gavin frowned. _They looked so fucking similar._

“-and if I do this…”

Peter trailed off as he clicked on something on the screen and Gavin watched as the two pictures went transparent and moved so they overlapped each other.

They were nearly identical save for a rogue string of molecules that were present in the mimicker, but were missing from the Red Ice. They also both had Thirium, but it was located in a completely different place.

 _Nearly fucking identical_.

Gavin’s thoughts started to race a mile a minute. _Again._

There were too many implications if what he was thinking about turned out to be true. 

“I’d hazard a guess that this new strain of Red Ice and probably every mimicker going is one in the same. Not even the new strain, it’s probably just safe to say Red Ice in general.”

His stomach sank as Peter gave voice to that one thought he _really_ wished he didn’t. 

Red Ice and heat mimickers being one in the same. 

Otherwise known as the tip of a very shitty iceberg. 

“I’m not sure how far this goes, Detective-”  
  
_Oh, pretty fucking far._

_If Red Ice and mimickers are the same fucking thing, then that could mean a fucking cover up, not just in the police force, but fucking everywhere._

_Jesus fucking Christ._

“-but there was also another reason I asked you here.”

Gavin shook himself from his thoughts. How the fuck could this get worse? 

“More shitty news? Sure, why the fuck not.”

Peter looked at him with an almost sorry expression. 

“I only managed to find this out because I thought Christina’s circumstances were so similar to what happened to you. So I decided to look into it and-”  
  
_No._

“- do you remember how I said that the mimicker you got spiked with tried to alter your bondsite, but failed?”

 _No. No, no, no._ _  
_ _  
_ “Yeah, I do.”

“Christina’s bondsite was activated by the drug and it bonded her to the first alpha she came in contact with. It almost seems as if you were a trail run and whoever made it finally ironed out the kinks and got what they wanted.”

Omegas getting bonded without any external influence. Jesus fucking christ. It was a fucking catastrophic disaster waiting to happen. 

Them getting hooked on someone who was just going to leave them high and dry. _  
_ _  
_ Vincent dying and leaving Christina fighting for her life.

Him and- _oh._

_Oh no._

_Fuck. No. No, no, no._

It would so conveniently explain why he couldn’t help himself time after time.  
  
Peter had already explained it several times, had already said that it wasn’t the case, but it didn’t matter. Gavin, just like last time, had already focused on the wrong thing.

His mind was wildly putting two and two together. 

“Detective Reed? Are you okay?” 

Kamski’s voice managed to pull him from his thoughts for just a second.

“I-uh, thanks for this, Doc, but… I uh, I have to go.”  
  
Gavin shot up out of his seat, was already over by the door when he stopped himself and pulled a card from his jacket. He strode over and slapped it on top of the man’s desk. “Forward all of that information to me on that email address.”

“Of course.” 

He shot the doctor a curt smile before he disappeared out the door.  
  
_Fuck!_ _  
_ _  
_ _FUCK!_

Gavin wasn’t even fucking sure how he managed to make his way down to his car, but five minutes later he somehow found himself sitting behind the wheel.

_It would explain so fucking much. All of it! EVERY! FUCKING! THING!_

He slammed his hands against the steering wheel.  
  
“FUCK! _FUUUUUCK!_ ”

 _SHIT! FUCKI-_ _  
_ _  
_ Gavin gripped hard at the soft leather, his knuckles turning white as he jostled with it in his seat, his anger and thoughts needing a physical outlet as he screamed his frustrations. 

After a few minutes, he eventually stopped, breathing heavily as he leant to the side and fished out his phone from his pocket.

He needed answers. To everything. Just fucking something. He didn’t care.

And there was one man that could give them to him.

Gavn just tapped onto the number on autopilot. Held the phone up to his ear. It rang. Once, twice, before the other person picked up the line.  
  
The voice that greeted him made a shiver run down his spine, but he needed to do this.

He needed fucking answers.

_Gavin was recreating bad experiences because he wasn’t done with them, like if he could live them again and again, perhaps the outcome would be different._

“Hello, Gavin.”

_Neil._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you if you've read this far <3
> 
> I hope people are enjoying where I'm taking this story? Have any inklings?  
> Would love to hear any thoughts <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You all remember Neil, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is no where as long as the previous two but...  
> I think what happens will more than make up for the length, hope you're strapped in

“Now what would a police detective, the one who is investigating my crimes, be doing calling his prime suspect, hm?”

_“I would have thought that you’d be over the fuckin’ moon to hear my voice.”_

“I never said that. I’m… pleasantly surprised, Gavin. I’ve been dying to talk to you. I thought it was going to take more work to get you to call me, if I’d have known it was this easy… Did you find her by the way? I forget her name.”

_“... Christina.”_

“That’s right, Christina… She reminded me so much of you.”

When Gavin made no attempt to speak, when all Neil earned was the sound of a shaky breath being exhaled down the phone, he saw that as the perfect cue to continue.

“An omega with grand ideas that so fucking needed to learn her place. Oh, Gavin… She was so desperate to escape her shitty excuse of a life. As soon as we gave her a taste of that new Red Ice, she couldn’t get enough. Practically begged for more clients-” 

Neil paused as he gathered his thoughts so he didn’t get too ahead of himself.

“-I gave her Vincent in the hopes that the DPD would also finally assign you to the case and not just that fat, pathetic, old excuse of a man… Do you know how many alphas I’ve sent your way? How much effort I’ve put in? Hoping… Waiting…”

_“If you’re going to say you did all this just to get me to notice you-”_

“I don’t like feeling that I’m being ignored, Gavin.”

_“Y-you f-fucking did that to Christina, got her bonded to a fucking alpha against her will… All to get me to fucking talk to you?!”_

“Christina… the two fucking omegas before her… I’ve got alphas practically lining up at my feet, a whole network of the underprivileged to choose from and no end of fucking patience… But, it’s my generosity that only goes so far.”

Neil was beginning to believe that more people needed to fucking remember that.

_“Generosity?! What the fuck do you mean, generosity?!”_

“I’ve given you far more than enough chances to fix your mistakes, Gavin. You were never supposed to be rescued, you are supposed to be _mine_ and you will fucking learn that I always get what I want.”

_“Oh, fuck off! If you expect me to believe this has all been a part of your fuckin’... grand plan or some phckin’ shit?! That’s fucking bullshit! I remember… I fuckin’ remember, you told me I was only there because you needed an omega… What the fuck is your game, huh? You wanted to fuckin’ change secondary gender and now you’re fuckin… pulling this Red Ice bullshit… What the fuck is your deal?! That whole secondary gender bullshit? Doesn’t it work?!”_

Neil stayed quiet for a moment, allowing Gavin to yell at him down the phone, it was so easy to get under his skin and make the man angry.

“Hm, you seem to be the one that’s treating this like a game… But… How about this? I’ll let you in on a little secret. You’re right, Gavin, it doesn’t work. I’m going to fucking kill everyone I’m working with before this is all over simply because I can.”  
  
 _“...You’re fucking lying.”_

“I might be, I might not, how do you know? I could be telling you the truth. I could be the first fucking person to do just that and you have no way of knowing... But anyway, why don’t you get to the real reason why you called me, hm? I can feel that you’re dying to speak about it, but you’re too much of a fucking coward to ask, so think of this as me giving you permission.”

_“... That mimicker you spiked me with… Y-you fucking tried to get me bond, didn’t you?!”_

“What about me only being after Elijah? Or the fact that surely you’ve been told or must have been smart enough to piece together yourself that you were simply a trial run?”

_“Tell me!”_

“I’ve told you... You’re mine, Gavin.”

_“Jesus fucking Christ… F-fucking b-bonding! Shit!… Fuck! Red Ice… Mimickers… Did you fucking know they were the same goddamn thing?!”_

“It’s not me you should be asking-”

_“How long?!”_

“-You change just one thing and it’s funny how easily things get overlooked.”

_“How long?! How fucking long?! How fucking long has it been like this?! Fuck you, tell me!”_

“Since the beginning… But, I’m going to tell you again, and I really do hope you fucking listen this time, it’s not me you should be asking.”

_“The fuck do you mean?!”_

“What do you think? The same way I escaped police custody… the same fucking way alphas have been at the top all this fucking time… they have people everywhere.”  
 _  
__“‘They’?! Don’t you phckin’ mean, ‘You’?!”_

“I haven’t been around forever, Gavin. I’ve made my own fucking name for myself but I did come from somewhere. My family has the influence and it’s been like this forever...You more than anyone should know what I’m talking about.” 

_“... What do you mean, I’m yours?”_

“Why the sudden change in subject, Gavin? Accuse me of playing games, when it’s so clear that you’re the one fucking doing that. But I can do that too.... You’re not even trying to find me-”

In an almost sing-song, mocking sort of tone, Neil continued, “Why is that, I wonder? You could track this phone. Hunt me down. But you do absolutely nothing with the solution that is right in front of your face… You keep asking me what I mean, but I think deep down, in that dark part of you, you know. It’s so fucking plain to see that you _like_ this, Gavin.”

_“... F-fuck you, Neil!”_

“I’m starting to think you’d like to. Is that what you want, Gavin? Do you really want me to bond you? You keep crawling back to me time after time… You might have been the victim in the beginning, but now you’ve made me into your addiction and you can’t fucking stop. You like the way this hurts, Gavin... You’ve built me into your church and now I’m a testament to all of your fucking sins.” 

The omega was speechless. They both knew Neil was telling the truth, so what was the point in arguing?

“Nothing to say? Don’t say anything then, your silence is answer enough. You’ve started something you cannot possibly fucking win. When you inevitably come texting me in a few days when you start your internal investigation into Red Ice, you’ll just prove me right. That you’re mine and I’ve got you fucking wrapped around my little finger-” 

Neil paused, he had said everything he needed to say. Gavin was an open fucking book and he was done reading. 

“I have to say, I’m starting to grow bored of this conversation but I will tell you one... last....thing... You are going to find out the hard way that you never should have left that warehouse, Gavin and you’d be wise to not fucking mistake my patience for weakness... Goodbye.”

The phone call between him and Gavin had been roughly two weeks ago. 

He had received a few texts in the couple of days directly after, but Gavin had decidedly stopped. That meant one of two things; that the man had been found out or had finally come to his senses. Either way, it was of no matter. Neil had come too far to fail now. 

Phone tracing wasn’t going to work, he wasn’t that fucking stupid to dangle that option in front of Gavin’s face without covering his tracks. If the police tried to track his number, they’d be pinged half-way around the world and back. He’d made sure from the very beginning. 

Plus, the omega might have thought that he’d have taken the high road by not communicating with him, but Neil had told him when they spoke, Gavin was _his._ He was going to find out the hard way that he never should have been rescued from that warehouse all those months ago. 

Not only was Neil a man that _always_ got what he wanted, but he was also the type who played to win. He still had several aces up his metaphorical sleeve. Afterall, he had asked for the schematics for a very specific android weeks ago. 

Gavin still had one last thing he was hiding behind and he was going to relish taking it away from him.

Neil was leaning back in the backseat of the Bentley that Elijah had sent for him. It seemed the man didn’t know his whiskey but certainly knew his cars. The model was a rerelease, a modern take on an old classic, apparently. 

The black leather interior was pristine, decked out with white and blue detailing because of course Elijah had that much of an ego that he had to instill his CyberLife empire into everything he fucking owned. If Neil were a different man, he would have been impressed. But he wasn’t. It just screamed of Kamski’s inflated sense of self worth. 

Neil also fucking hated Bentleys.

He was wearing a sharply tailored dark grey suit, his right leg was resting on his left knee and his right arm was on the door rest as he looked out of the tinted windows at the city that passed him by. Watching as people went about with their pathetically mundane lives. 

A few minutes went by before the car stopped at a traffic light and the man’s eyes drifted towards a mother and their young child, watching as the boy threw a tantrum over something from in their stroller. He watched as the woman completely ignored their child, watched as they laughed with someone that was standing next to them, watched as they took selfies together on her phone. 

It made something hard settle in his gut as the car finally pulled away. 

Neil pulled out his phone from inside his suit jacket and looked down at the screen. 

He was half hoping to see a text from Gavin, hoping that the man had crumbled since cutting their communication, but there was nothing. It made a strange smile tug at the corner of his mouth and a strange sense of _something_ settle in his gut for just a fleeting second. A sadistic sense of pride, perhaps.

 _He was going to enjoy breaking down Gavin piece by fucking piece_.

The man unlocked his phone, scrolled through to Kamski’s number and pulled up their messages. 

Elijah had text him a day ago that their target had arrived, they had purposefully let twenty four hours pass before moving forward in order to not arouse suspicion. A first time check-up lasted three days; Kamski had overseen it from the beginning and now Neil was on his way. 

Sometimes, it paid having someone like Elijah in his back pocket. 

It didn’t matter that Gavin had stopped speaking with him because every time the man text his brother, Neil knew because Elijah showed him.

So he knew Gavin was struggling and that he wanted to see a therapist. He knew that Gavin had arranged his usual birthday plans at Elijah’s place. He also knew his birthday was in two days. 

_They’d be seeing each other again soon in person. It didn’t fucking matter._

Neil knew everything because Elijah had told him.

He knew about the man’s childhood and his previous distrust of androids. He knew Gavin’s favourite foods, everything down to his favourite fucking colour; all because Gavin’s brother selfishly valued his own pathetic little life above all else. Elijah valued the money and the power that he had over his own flesh and blood.

It was pathetic how quickly the man had caved when the threats started coming, plus there was the blackmail. But then again, Neil couldn’t really be surprised because the only one Elijah had ever been loyal to was himself, he was a fucking coward.

Neil had everything he needed to wrap Gavin around his little finger, all thanks to Kamski. But, he was just a person and there always came a point where everyone outlived their usefulness. 

Elijah wasn’t fucking special.

The car began to slow and Neil slipped his phone back inside his suit jacket, sniffing in a harsh breath as his features settled back into their usual stoic indifference. He eyed the rapidly approaching Tower as he swapped his phone for his sunglasses, a pair of mirrored aviators, that he pulled on in one swift motion as the car finally came to a stop.

The building that loomed over him did nothing. 

It was just another symbol of one man’s ego and symbols could so easily be destroyed.

Neil didn’t bother waiting for the driver to open his door, he got out himself and slammed the door shut behind him without looking back, his shoes clacking against the concrete as he made his way towards the entrance.

****

  
  


Gavin wasn’t sure how he expected the phone call to go.

He had been expecting _something._ Answers to at least some of the questions he had swirling and swirling around in his mind. The ones that wouldn’t fucking leave him alone. Gavin had gone into it so sure that he could twist Neil into giving him answers, that he could use the anger that had been building as fuel, that it would lend him the confidence he needed to strongarm the prick into talking. 

But when Neil had said _those_ fucking words.

They shot through him like a bullet and struck the precise chord that the man had been after.

 _‘You’re not even trying to find me. Why is that, I wonder? You could track this phone. Hunt me down. But you do absolutely nothing with the solution that is right in front of your face.’_  
  
They stopped him dead in his tracks and melted his temper away to passive submission.

Because deep down, he knew what Neil had said was right. 

Gavin had the solution in front of his face the entire fucking time and he had done _nothing_. 

Maybe it was because he had convinced himself that Neil was smart enough to make sure he couldn’t be tracked through something as simple as a fucking phone, thus allowing Gavin to convince himself in turn that the only way to track Neil down was to _talk_ to him. 

But that was the thing, there was no talking to someone like Neil. 

He fucking knew that, deep down, so why didn’t he do anything?

Men like that? They always knew what to say and how to say it. They always had all the control and all of the fucking power in any given situation and if they didn’t, then they would do whatever was fucking necessary to make sure they got it.

This was a game they were playing, but Gavin had stupidly realised a little too late that Neil was playing for keeps. He had made it abundantly clear that he was going to see this through to the end, so that could only mean three things. That either he would die, that Neil would die or that Gavin would lose himself to whatever Neil had planned.

Those fucking words had been the man’s bullet, hitting Gavin in his very core.

It caused everything to come crashing down around him, but also acted in some fucked up way as the wake up call Gavin needed. 

He had been thinking of going and visiting Christina, but how the fuck could he face her? Face _anyone_ that had fallen prey to the new Red Ice when he was speaking to the man who was responsible? Had been running to him for weeks now and hadn’t done a goddamn fucking thing. 

Gavin was a police officer, he had taken an oath to protect and serve. 

When he had first become a cop, it was to fucking _help_ people. To stop the things that had happened to him from happening to someone else, but along the way he had twisted and somehow ended up as a dirty cop. 

He wanted to help the most vulnerable, not let a man prey upon them while actively not doing something more to try to stop him.

He had the prime suspect, no, the man he fucking _knew_ was behind _everything_ whispering in his fucking ear but he had been too much of a coward to stop him.

Funnily enough, that’s exactly what Neil had called him over the phone; a fucking coward.

As long as it wasn’t his neck ultimately on the line, he realised that he would rather bury his face in the sand. 

But that wasn’t who he was.  
  
Neil had been sinking in his claws inch by goddamn inch and Gavin had let him, he just prayed that they hadn’t got too deep that he now couldn’t do anything about it.

Maybe it was a tad naive to think that he could do anything after weeks of nothing. A tad naive when he had his head in between the lion’s jaws with its teeth resting so squarely on his neck but Gavin had to. _He wasn’t a dirty cop._

He tried to tackle the Red Ice situation himself at first. Tried to investigate just how far the cover up extended within the force. 

Gavin stupidly text Neil twice about it during those first few days. Regretted it instantly each time he did. The second time, he felt such guilt that it prompted him to go and talk with Nines. 

Prompted him to finally confide in his partner, his boyfriend, his alpha. After their shift was over that day, Gavin sat down with him on his couch. 

He had finally opened up his childhood. About some of the abuse he had suffered and some of the trauma he bore, but all those days ago, Gavin had conveniently failed to mention that he was speaking to Neil. Even though it was the prime fucking opportunity, for whatever reason, he just couldn’t. Had even said that the case involving the man was bringing back his past, but Gavin left out that he had been actively seeking out the man like a goddamn fucking hyprocrite.

Like he was an addict and Neil was his hit.

They sat and talked for only thirty minutes, because that’s all it took.

Just thirty minutes for everything to come to light. 

Thirty minutes to explain that Neil had gotten hold of his number because he was in LifeLine’s databases. Thirty minutes to explain that the only reason that Gavin knew all those months ago where Amelia was, was because Neil had called him. Thirty minutes to explain his twisted reasoning of why he’d been speaking to the man this long without doing anything. 

That Gavin could use their communication to potentially find him. That tracking Neil’s phone would have been useless. All the things Gavin had convinced himself of so he could pretend that he was doing the right thing. 

Once he had said his piece, Gavin had never seen Nines as angry as he was. 

But the thing was, the android didn’t get violent.

Nines never threw a punch or rose his voice. He didn’t break things. Gavin just watched as his face morphed from angry to disappointed before finally all of his feelings seemed to slip behind a stoic mask of nothing. 

That was when Gavin braved telling Nines about the connection between Red Ice and heat mimickers. He saw Nines’ steel-grey eyes soften for just a moment, but it didn’t matter. The damage was done.

The alpha slept on the couch that night.

He didn’t bother making Gavin breakfast the morning after before they left for work and once they were at the precinct, Nines marched him right into Fowler’s office and wouldn’t let Gavin leave until he told the Captain everything. 

So he did.

If Nines had been angry, then Fowler was downright fucking _furious._

He thanked Gavin for the information about the Red Ice and the mimickers, thanked him as he took the data that had been forwarded to him from the hospital. But ultimately, in the end, all Jeffrey could do was reprimand him because what the fuck did Gavin think was going to happen?

That he would get a pat on the back? A ‘well done’ whilst his mistakes were swept under the rug because what did it matter that he had broken police procedure? What did it matter that he had spoken with a murderer, colluded with the suspect in their biggest case when Gavin had brought him to justice? 

That was the thing about being a _good_ cop, the means never justified the end. 

And Gavin knew that.  
  
Perhaps deep down, since it had gone on long enough, he was selfishly scared of facing the consequences, knowing that they would be worse because of how long he had dragged it out. But he was sick of running. 

He couldn’t run anymore.  
  
If the talk with Nines a few days ago had taught him one thing, it was to face his past; he had to if he wanted to move forward. He deserved to move forward.

Gavin didn’t want to be a dirty cop, but he had gotten lost in the woods and called on the wrong person to help. He recognised that and now, he had to face the music. 

Ultimately, he wasn’t going to get suspended because he was an omega, Fowler had made it abundantly clear that he had been fighting tooth and nail to make sure that Gavin _didn’t_ face disciplinary action for something that was out of his control. He had filed for extenuating circumstances and followed procedure, in regards to _that._

No. Gavin was going to face disciplinary action over something he could have completely avoided. All that focus, all that fret and worry over his secondary gender and in the end, it was Gavin’s own stubbornness, his own goddamn stupidity, that was to be his downfall. 

Funny how the universe worked.

He handed his phone over to Fowler and was told to pick up a spare in HR. He was told that he had just two months to bring Neil in otherwise he’d be discharged without so much as a chance at an appeal.

Afterwards, the true icing on top of a very shitty but well deserved cake was Nines telling him that, outside his upcoming heat or work related matters, he wanted some space.

To think things through. 

The alpha that he was starting to think he could build a life with, turned around and told him that they needed a break. 

Gavin apologised. It was the only thing he could do even though he could feel his heart shattering into pieces. Pieces that he’d have to pick back up on his own because after all, this mess was _his own_ goddamn fault.

He also said that he respected Nines’ right for some time to think. If there was one up-side to everything that had happened that day, it was that when Gavin had said that, it made Nines stop and offer him the smallest of smiles before he left.

All of that had been a little over two weeks ago and now his birthday was in two fucking days. 

Two fucking days and the alpha he was supposed to be having his heat with, his heat that was just around the fucking corner, was giving them ‘space’. That and Nines had finally gone into CyberLife yesterday for his check-up. A check-up that would last three days. 

His heat was due around his birthday. It could be tomorrow. It could be on the day. It could be the day after. If it was on the actual day, he would ring Elijah in the morning and reschedule, but talk about cutting it close.

It was a little too close for what Gavin was comfortable with. 

On top of everything else, butterflies sat in his stomach over something that shouldn’t even have been a problem. Perhaps he was reading too much into it, but Gavin couldn’t help but feel it was all too much of a coincidence. 

If he went into his heat tomorrow or on his fucking birthday, he’d have no alpha to see him through it and he fucking needed one. He’d die otherwise.  
  
 _Why the fuck didn’t you talk to Nines about your stupid changed heats when you had the chance, you fucking asshole?_

“Something on your mind, Gav?” 

Allen’s voice managed to draw him from his thoughts and Gavin peered over at Joseph from behind his drink, Tina having just excused herself to go to the restroom.

They were all finally going for those drinks they’d been planning and somehow, the stars had aligned; they all had the same day off. 

It was one in the afternoon, so drinks turned into lunch. They had been in a seedy little bar that wasn’t far from the precinct in Downtown for the past hour; but strangely, there had been no mention of ordering any food just yet.

Gavin was currently slumped over in a barstool, nursing a bottle of beer in his hand, resting a cheek against the cold glass. The longer he stared at Joseph, the longer he stared at that kind smile and the slightly confused yet concerned expression on the man’s face, the more his thoughts built in his head.

“Chew on your lip anymore like that and you might just end up swallowing it, y’know? If you do, I’m sorry to tell you, Gav... I don’t really know how to do the heimlich maneuver.”  
  
 _Why didn’t you, why didn’t you, why-_

Joseph sat in the stool beside him, settling down as he carefully set his own beer on top of the bar. He shot Gavin a sly look out of the corner of his eye before he leaned in close.

“Is this to do with Nines and… y’know… You guys taking a break?”

They had to tell their friends they were taking some time apart.

_‘You need help anytime, okay? You know where to find me.’_

Joseph’s words from a few days ago shot to the forefront of his thoughts. Gavin didn't even know where they came from. He had a knack for remembering the most obscure shit that happened weeks and weeks ago, even years ago, but could he remember what he had for breakfast that morning? Probably not, no. 

He pulled himself up off the bar and Joseph rearranged his posture along with him. They were still huddling rather close together, but now Gavin wasn’t sitting slumped over like a goddamn child throwing a pity-party. 

He opened his mouth and promptly shut it again when he realised he didn’t even know how he could go about asking the man that was sitting next to him what he wanted to ask him _without_ it sounding downright insane.  
  
 _So, Joseph… I consider you a real good friend and I fucking appreciate you a lot and yeah, I might have the tiniest of crushes on you but haha! Remember when you said that if I needed help at any time, I could come to you? Well, yeah, here’s the thing... I’m just about to go into my heat and Nines might not be around to help me through it this time but here’s the_ ** _real_** _stinger... I need an alpha otherwise I’m gonna die! Haha! Crazy right?! So anyway, anyway! If Nines’ check-up doesn’t finish in time… Do you wanna help me through it or?_

“You need help with something?” Joseph asked.  
  
Gavin blinked, he was beginning to think the man was a fucking mind reader. He took a quick swig from his beer, watching intently as a few drops of condensation ran down the label as he set it back on the bar and collected on his thumb before he cleared his throat.

This didn’t have to be rocket science. 

Joseph was his friend and had said multiple times that he’d help with anything. Sure it was a bit of a strange request, but his life was quite literally on the line. He wasn’t going to ask Tina and he definitely wasn’t going to ask Hank. Gavin _definitely_ wasn’t going to call an agency either because he absolutely despised the whole impersonal nature of how they operated.

He just had to be straight forward and ask.  
  
“I- uh- yeah, actually, I do.” Gavin started.  
  
Allen turned in his seat so that he was giving Gavin his full attention and that little action alone managed to ease the nerves that had settled in Gavin’s stomach.

“What’s up?” Joseph’s voice had that tone to it, approachable without being pushy. 

_Okay, don’t make this too complicated. Keep it simple, idiot. Explain and I’m sure Joseph will understand._

“I just wanna say, I wouldn’t even be asking if Nines was still here. Besides us… _taking a break_ , he had already said that he was going to help, but-”

“ _But-?”_

“But, he’s decided to go into CyberLife for this check-up thing that he was summoned for. He tried rearranging it, but they wouldn’t let him and anyway, he went in yesterday and... This check-up lasts three days.”  
  
“Okay, I think I’m following.”

Gavin paused, took a deep breath, shot Joseph a smile and the man matched it, clearly waiting for Gavin to continue talking whenever he felt he was comfortable.  
  
 _Okay, just bite the fucking bullet, there’s no point in drawing this out._

“It wouldn’t be a problem unless my heat wasn’t around the corner. Like it could quite literally happen tomorrow ‘around the corner’.”

“Oh. _Oh._ ”

“Yeah, _‘oh’_.”

That admission made Joseph rearrange himself in his seat and Gavin just watched as the man idly ran a thumb up and down his own bottle, watched as he turned his head and stared at nothing in particular in front of him. He could practically see the wheels turning the man’s head as he thought.

“It’s very fuckin’ forward of me to ask, but I kinda haven’t got a lot of options.” Gavin continued in a hushed voice after the silence started to draw out.

Joseph blinked himself from the weird sort of trance he had almost settled into. The man took a quick swig from his beer before he turned his attention back to Gavin, a rather serious expression on his face.

“You want me to help you through your heat if Nines doesn’t get back in time.” 

The bluntness to his statement caught Gavin off guard for a moment, but now that they were on the same page, there was no point in pussyfooting anymore.  
  
“I-I, yeah, that’s uh, yeah… I’m asking if you wouldn’t mind helping me through my heat.”

They looked at each other for a moment before Joseph smiled and fuck if that smile didn’t lift a fucking weight off Gavin’s shoulders.

“Of course I wouldn’t fucking mind.”  
  
There was Mr. Southern Boy Scout cursing again and damn if it didn’t have Gavin smiling in return, but he still had to be absolutely sure.  
  
“You sure, man?”  
  
“Yeah. I may have been thinkin’ for what probably felt like a helluva long time, but I didn’t want to answer too readily, y’know? I got your back on this, Gav. Just let me know if you need me and what I need to do.”

“Oh, thank fuck… ‘Cause, uh- I wasn’t joking when I said I don’t have alotta options.”  
  
“How do you mean?”  
  
Of course Joseph wasn't going to let him off the hook that easy. They held each other’s gaze and since Gavin had already come this far-

“I need an alpha or- Shit… Fuck, okay.. y’know when I got spiked?  
  
“Was that when-”  
  
“ _Yeah_. Well, it uh... it changed my heats, so like - Basically, I’ll die, like, actually fucking die! So, uh, yeah...”

Gavin trailed off, his confidence quickly waning and he ducked his head, focusing his attention on the beer he didn’t realise was gripping like a lifeline. 

“Well, Shit… I woulda helped _anyway_ but damn? Dying? You really did get dealt the short stick when you got spiked, huh?” 

Allen’s joking fell flat. 

The silence drew out and when it was clear that Gavin wasn’t going to speak, Joseph just bumped his shoulder softly against his friend before he spoke in a gentle tone. 

“Listen, I mean it. I would have helped _anyway_ if Nines doesn’t get back in time but… I’ve got you. I _promise.”_

That was finally enough to ease the lingering tension that had settled between them, Gavin finally braving to look Joseph in the eye. The alpha just smiled kindly and Gavin eventually smiled back, the two of them clinking their bottles together in a cheers. 

“Seems you’re finally starting to live up to that t-shirt, G.” Tina’s voice spoke up from somewhere behind them and it had Gavin choking on his drink.

He was wearing the same bright purple neon shirt that Hank had bet him he wouldn’t wear back at the precinct months ago. 

Gavin bowed his head, eyeing the ‘Omega and Proud’ slogan for just a second before he could feel his temper start to crawl up on him, the need to defensively bite back itching along his spine just a little too well. He was about to open his mouth and argue when Joseph beat him to it. 

“Hey, so maybe Gav’s finally starting to feel _Omega and Proud_ , okay? Lay off, Tina.”  
  
That statement made Gavin frown. 

He’d worn it because Tina had text him a few days ago on his new phone and dared him to wear it whenever they eventually went out for drinks. 

Gavin originally wasn’t going to, but the longer he left it, the more the idea of just wearing the goddamn thing for the hell of it started to appeal to him, dare or no fucking dare. Then Tina had text him again just an hour before they were going to meet up today and had offered to buy him several appletinis if he did.

_I know you’re a slut for appletinis, G_

So, it had been a dare at first, maybe he could even point to the slight bribe, but deep down, Gavin must have accepted it and Joseph speaking just now only solidified the point.  
  
That maybe, Gavin was finally starting to come to terms and be okay with his secondary gender.

His first talk with Nines and after admitting to himself that he needed to get help, after opening up about speaking to Neil even though it would probably very well cost him his career and maybe his relationship with Nines, perhaps they were all the things that needed to happen for Gavin to make that jump.  
  
Not everyone needed those things, but Gavin did. He was that type of person who wouldn’t change shit until things got bad, until they built to the point where he'd _have_ to deal with them simply because they couldn’t be ignored anymore. 

He wasn’t ‘Omega and Proud’, not by a long fucking shot but it was something. A start.  
  
‘Omega and Okay’ would probably be more fitting, but who cared. 

None of the people that mattered cared that he was an omega and perhaps Gavin was finally starting to realise that. 

A silver lining on a very very shitty cloud. But his problems could wait for just one day, right now, sitting here with two of his best friends and enjoying their company was far more important. 

Tina must have caught his strange expression because she settled down on the other side of Gavin without so much as a word.  
  
“Shit, you’re serious? You finally starting to feel comfortable with all that, huh?” 

They were best friends, so of course Tina knew Gavin had gone through some shit. Not all of it, but enough so that she understood why he’d been so hostile for so long over his secondary gender.  
  
She watched as Gavin nodded his head. “Not ‘Omega and Proud’, not at all, but shit, I dunno… maybe just, okay, I guess.”

He turned his head, firsting shooting Tina a small smile before he caught Joseph’s eye and all three of them shared a moment together; light laughter before they took a sip from their drinks.

“I’m proud of you, dipshit.” Tina said quietly.

Gavin just bowed his head and huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, yeah, okay shit-”

She cut him off with a quick tap to his arm. “Hey, no, stop with that shit, okay?”

Tina picked up her martini glass and held it in the air, shooting the two men a look. She wanted the two of them to do the same.

Gavin just rolled his eyes, but nevertheless rose his bottle up in the air and Joseph watched Gavin’s little mini-tantrum before he shook his head, letting out a sly little laugh as he too rose his drink up in the air.  
  
“To being ‘Omega and just fuckin’ okay’.” Tina said.  
  
“To being ‘Omega and just fuckin’ okay'.” Gavin and Joseph repeated. 

Just like that, the three of them clinked their drinks together. 

_Omega and just fuckin’ okay._

****

Static licked at the edges of his vision as it swam in and out of focus.  
  
Error messages kept popping up, warning about the detection of a foreign program. He had no idea what it was doing, but strung up, cable jabbed into the dataport in the back of his neck, Nines was powerless to stop whatever was happening. 

He had gone to CyberLife a day ago. 

He had been greeted by Elijah and was told that because he was an advanced, ‘one of a kind’ model, that he was going to oversee his first time check-up personally. Nines didn’t think much of it. All the preliminary testing had gone fine and that first day passed without a hitch. 

But now it was day two and he couldn’t move. 

Elijah danced and glitched in the peripheries of his eyesight, bordered by staticky neon colours like he was wearing those old paper 3-D glasses and every time he blinked, Nines swore the static scratched in his head. 

“Hello, Nines.” 

That unmistakable voice cut through everything, sending a chill down his mechanical spine.

That unmistakable voice he’d only heard _once_ before but would never forget. Sounding so meticulously well spoken and devoid of anything all at once. Every word uttered by that silver tongue was like an ice-cold spear that hit exactly where the man wanted.

_Neil._

Even in Nines’ state, the man stood out.

He was standing just in front of the doors. His sharp dark grey suit standing out against the stark white of the room, so it drew focus without even trying. 

His suit jacket was unbuttoned, it showing off the form-fitting waistcoat underneath, all in the same dark grey and both his hands were in his trouser pockets. His head was cocked to the side, his green eyes were cold, his gaze calculating and it managed to pierce through Nines’ very soul. 

_If he had one._

Neil stood there for what felt like an eternity.

Just watching. 

Thinking.

Minutes seemed to go by before he straightened his head back up, but his eyes never left Nines who was strung up in the technician’s cradle in front of him. “Has it been done?”

“Everything is ready and waiting, just give the word.” Elijah’s response was almost immediate.

Kamski was standing by a screen, orchestrating Nines’ demise but Neil was the fucking conductor.  
  
 **> >>BASE PROGRAM AND MEMORY COPY COMPLETE**

 ******> >>COMMENCE MEMORY WIPE AND COMPLETE SYSTEM RESET? Y/N?** **  
****  
**A smirk formed on Neil’s face, it tugged at the corner of his lips and the action sparked something dangerous that danced in his eyes. It was the look of someone who thought they were untouchable, someone who was so close to winning and knew it.  
  
“Good.”

Neil pulled out his left hand from his pocket before he carefully strode up to the android in a few simple steps. He stopped mere inches from where Nines was suspended, eyes moving as he took in his face and after a moment, the man cocked his head to the side again. 

“Hm.” 

The disappointment to that sound was unmistakable and what happened next, happened in the blink of an eye.

Neil moved with a speed that Nines wasn’t expecting.

He felt something hard and metal collide with his left cheek. He felt it smash against his chassis underneath and the force he was hit with caused his head to snap in the opposite direction. He felt a hard hand in his hair, gripping tight and forcing him to look back at the man in front of him. 

“Do you know how fucking much I despise this face, Nines? How fucking sick I am of looking at it?” Neil spat. His cold tone never wavered, but the venom in his words was unmissable.

Nines felt another punch. Metal colliding once again with his left cheek. This time, he felt blood trickle down his skin and damage warnings popped up in his vision. Another punch came and another, Nines’ head anchored in place by the hand that was still in his hair.

It was only after the seventh that Neil finally let go.

Blue blood was dripping down onto the white floor and was starting to form a small puddle by Neil’s feet. 

Nines eventually looked up at the man in front of him. 

He watched Neil step back. The man lifted his right arm, shaking out the muscles as he flexed his fingers before he pulled off the black knuckle duster. Both the metal and his hand were stained with blue blood, it had splattered up the man’s skin and suit sleeve in splodges. 

He even had some on his right cheek and a bit on his lip, but the man didn’t seem to care.

Neil rolled his shoulders, ticking his head just slightly before he buttoned his suit jacket and slipped the duster back into his trouser pocket, smoothing the creases out of his jacket with his clean hand. He then brought his up thumb and carefully swiped the speck from his mouth. “I’ve wanted to do that for the longest time.”  
  
He stepped closer and reached out with his left hand again, the android feeling it hard in his hair, forcing him to keep eye contact. Nines didn’t know where the energy came from but he bore his teeth, his mouth pulled into a silent snarl as he tried to struggle against the mechanical arms that kept him in place.  
  
A strong hand suddenly gripped tight at his jaw, quelling his outburst as soon as it started and Neil moved his face in closer, it now mere inches from his own. 

He felt the man’s nails dig in hard against his synthetic flesh.

“Go on, bare your teeth at me, Nines, I’ll just pull them out one by one.” Every word that came out Neil’s mouth was measured. “The funny thing is that when I move in on Gavin, you’ll be powerless to stop me. Your fangs will be blunted and you’ll be brought to heel like the fucking dog you are. You’ll fucking agree with me, Nines, because you’ll have no choice. I’m going to open your eyes and you’ll be asking yourself how you could have ever been so weak to have been so blinded to the truth.”  
  
He had purposefully bought up Gavin and Neil saw the fear flash through Nines’ eyes. It was the reaction he was looking for and the tiniest of smirks curled at a corner of his mouth. He knew the two of them were on a break, Elijah had told him that too. It didn’t matter that Gavin had swapped his number.  
  
The alpha still cared. 

_How pathetic._

Cold eyes held his gaze, a wild glint in the man’s eyes as he shoved Nines’ face down. 

Neil stepped back. _"_ _Do it.”_ _  
__  
_**> >>COMMENCING WIPE **

******> >>COMMENCING SYSTEM RESET** **  
**  
Static and blackness started to press in on Nines’ vision now, but he could just about make out Neil reach up with his left hand, rubbing with the tip of his thumb at the blue blood that was still on his cheek. The man then sniffed in a breath before he shoved both his hands back in his pockets and turned on his heel. The sharp sounds of his shoes clicking on the floor filling the silence as he walked back towards the door.  
  
Nines’ vision started to warp.

**> >>UPLOADING NEW PROGRAM**

“And make sure to fix his fucking face.”  
  
“Uh huh.”  
  
“Good... I’ll see you again soon, Nines.”

Neil had told Gavin that he was going to find out the hard way he shouldn’t have left that warehouse. 

He was the man’s road to ruin. 

_Gavin was his and now he had nothing standing in his way._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonder if Gavin will get a nice birthday present this year?  
> Anybody want to place any bets?

Well, it was his fucking birthday.

Another year older, another year… _fuckin’ shit._

_Yeah, hurray to you, you fucking asshole._

That’s all Gavin could really say about his birthday this year. 

He hated them usually, was never one for a big celebration with lots of people because he couldn’t stand the fakeness from practical strangers. From strangers who pretended that they cared and pretended that they were his friends when they never gave a shit about him otherwise.

He woke up in bed and peered over at the empty space next to him. The space where Nines should have been, a heavy feeling settling in his chest the longer he stared at nothing.

Gavin huffed out a breath as he rubbed a hand down his face, stifling a yawn in the process as he reached over with his other hand and fumbled for his phone that was on the nightstand.

At least his heat wasn’t due today. As far as he could tell. 

He checked the time, his phone screen illuminating with numbers a little too bright indicated that it was 9a.m. on a Saturday.

It would have been his day off anyway, but the one good thing to being an omega? The heat-leave that came with it. This was his first proper lie-in for fucking weeks.  
  
Sure, Fowler had only given him two months to find Neil, but heat-leave was just two weeks and besides, Gavin had no choice. He’d put in the work, pull double shifts, hell, he’d get no fucking sleep, all to make sure he found Neil, but right now? Biology was unfortunately more important.  
  
Every fucking month, he had to put his life on hold for at least a week because that was the shitty hand he’d been dealt. 

It was never ideal, but now? Gavin didn’t want to think too hard about what would happen if he failed to find Neil. He’d be kicked from the force and would likely lose everything just when things were weirdly starting to fall into line. But then again, this was the shitty hole he had dug himself into, so he had to deal with it. 

What was that fucking line? ‘You reap what you sow’? Gavin couldn't help but think that phrase was going to prove to be more and more accurate with each passing day.

These two weeks could now potentially be the difference between two very fucking opposing outcomes. 

_Fucking fantastic_. 

Gavin pushed that thought from his mind as he pulled himself into a sitting position, his attention turning to his phone when it buzzed in his hand. It was a text from Nines.

> Still coming. Will see you tonight.

_Oh? He’s still coming?_

> ok thats great see u later

That made a hopeful feeling settle in his gut. Nothing so he could fool himself into thinking that they magically fix everything in the space of a few hours, but enough that perhaps it meant that they could at least start to talk. If Nines wanted to. 

It managed to perk his mood into something more content. Not happy, but something more akin to acceptance over everything that had happened. 

He had finally come clean to Fowler but the threat of losing his job sat like an angry cloud over his head, constantly looming over him. The plus side, though? He was just damn grateful that Fowler had given him two months to find Neil rather than firing him on the spot. 

When he actually put his soul into it, when he wasn’t all caught up in all of the wrong things, Gavin was a damn good detective and he knew it. 

Just like how he and Nines were taking a sort of break, but the alpha was still going to be at his kind-of-not-really birthday party later. He could have just not showed up at all, but he was still giving him a fucking _chance._

People were giving Gavin a chance to be better than how he had acted. 

To be better than his mistakes. He just had to recognise that and not waste the opportunities so very clearly handed to him. 

Gavin couldn’t help the small smile that sat on his face as Ruby hopped up on the bed, tail bristled, clearly unimpressed that it was nine in the morning and that she _still_ hadn’t received any food. 

That was a good thing about having a cat who was as big of an asshole as you were: they didn’t give a fuck. They didn’t give a fuck about whatever problems you might be going through because as far as they were concerned, they were the center of the universe. 

They wanted food? Attention? You damn well give it to them.

It was quite humbling, really. 

“Yeah, yeah, Roobs, I get it. I’m comin’.” Gavin grumbled, his smile souring slightly as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.

So, Ruby, his asshole cat, was just what he needed right now because it forced him to avoid falling into the trap that was his self pity.

The other upside about cats? They were good listeners if you needed them because they couldn’t exactly answer back.

Gavin stood himself up with a yawn as he stared down at Ruby, who was lingering near the doorway, watching his every move to be sure that he was actually going to go and feed her.

She opened her mouth, an impatient meow filling his bedroom that quickly turned into a rather pleased chirp as Gavin shuffled towards the door. On the way, he scooped up an old pastel blue t-shirt that he hastily pulled on as he walked out into the living room.

He stopped not too far from his bedroom, stretching his arms up over his head as he let out another yawn, one arm cocking to the side and the other coming to his front as he ran a hand down his chest. His fingers caught on the transfer that was on the front of the shirt, it’s cracked and split surface drawing his attention and Gavin peered down at it.

It was the busts of Captain Kirk and Commander Spock in front of the USS Enterprise, all of which were on top of a large, rainbow coloured circle. Above it, it said ‘ _Gays in Space!_ ’ in big pink letters in that famous font the show used. 

A small smile formed on his lips as he looked, Gavin had gotten it at his first Pride well over ten years ago. It was old and worn out but he didn’t have the heart to throw it away, he loved Star Trek and he fucking loved the shirt. Still did. Loved going to Pride, too.

Funny that he picked it up today of all days without realising. 

Another irritated meow pulled Gavin’s attention towards the kitchen.

Ruby was on the breakfast bar, sitting perfectly on a corner as she glared in his direction. He let his arms fall to his sides as a sigh left him, but nevertheless, made his way towards the kitchen, earning a quick swipe with a paw as he passed.

A few minutes later, Gavin was leaning over the bar beside his cat, elbow on the counter and his face propped up in his hand as he watched her eat. “Just the two of us again, huh, Roobs?”  
  
He pulled himself up and scratched behind one of her ears which earned him another chirp. 

“I know, I miss Nines, too… I fucked up, didn’t I?” He posed, trying to run his hand down the length of Ruby’s body. Since she was still eating, all she did was that freaky ‘cats are water’ thing and shrank her body away from his touch. Once Gavin withdrew his hand with a hollow laugh, she continued on eating.  
  
He let out a resigned huff through his nose and Gavin curled that same hand into a fist, tapping the bottom gently against the counter. “Yeah… Big time.” He laughed.  
  
She finished her food, bending downwards into a stretch before she sauntered to the edge of the bar and hopped off, leaving Gavin alone, another sigh leaving him.

Joseph had offered to drive, but they weren’t due at Elijah’s until the early evening, so he still had several hours to kill and he wasn’t in the mood for watching TV. 

Gavin pushed himself away from the counter and made his way back towards his bedroom. 

What he did fancy, was some music.  
  
Anything. He didn’t care. Played at full blast, his fucking neighbours be damned. He’d deal with the complaints.

After grabbing his phone from where it was still on his bed, he strode back into the living room, unlocking it as he walked back towards the kitchen. 

He promptly ignored the few ‘happy birthday’ texts he could see on the screen and tapped onto Spotify, his phone’s bluetooth already being connected to his speakers by the television.

Gavin quickly typed in a name and selected a song. 

The twangs and echoes of a melancholic sounding acoustic guitar quickly filled his apartment.  
  
He slipped the phone onto the kitchen counter, catching his thumb on the lock button so his screen lit up. The red background and masked-clad, tasseled cowboy that made up the album art flashing up for just a second as Gavin went about making himself a cup of coffee.

 _‘Gone was the way we were_ _  
__Just like the days we'd burn_ _  
__Everything 'round us would burn_ _  
__Take me back to the time_ _  
__I was yours and you were mine…’_

Fuck, he loved Orville Peck. 

‘Hope to Die’ seemed a bit fitting considering everything. 

Gavin mouthed along to the lyrics, dramatically mimicking the chorus as he closed his eyes and started to sway along to the rhythm of the music. 

_‘Take me back, to the words I'd say  
_ _I had to whisper_ _  
__Because you liked it that way…’_

He gathered his mug and sat himself at the bar, taking a sip of his way-too-sweet coffee as he looked at his empty apartment. 

He wanted to ring Christina, just so she didn’t think he’d forgotten her but he’d do it later. Right now, he was just content with listening to his favourite lampshade looking cowboy. 

_‘And I'm still undone, I'm not quite young_ _  
__But I, I still try_ _  
__Cross my heart, now I hope to die_ _  
__Cross my heart, now I hope to die’_

Gavin cupped his mug on the counter, thumb tapping on the handle as the lingering heat managed to warm up his hands. He listened as the track faded into the next one as he reached back and grabbed his phone.  
  
 _Not going to throw this one like a fucking child and crack the screen, are you?_ _  
__You sure you don’t remember Neil’s num-_

He tapped onto Joseph’s number and sent him a text.

> just to let u know, no heat, so will see u later  
> thnks for the bday wishes

Gavin saw the typing bubbles immediately pop up. Allen only took a few seconds to reply and Gavin found himself smiling as he read the man’s text. He’d pick him up at seven that evening, even signed it with a little kissy ‘x’ at the end like he always did.

Tina was going to pick up Hank and they were going to meet them at Elijah’s.  
  
Gavin huffed out a laugh as he shook his head, taking another gulp of coffee before he decided to stop being a prick and reply to the few other birthday wishes he’d received as well. 

Yeah, Happy fucking Birthday, Gavin. Well, not quite, but it would do. 

****

“What I don’t get, Gav, and I hope you don’t take this the wrong way... is how you managed to keep you and Elijah Kamski, _the_ Elijah Kamski, being related such a big secret all these years.”

Gavin barked out a laugh, which earned him a pretty solid glare being thrown his way from Joseph who was sat in the driver’s side of his car, driving them towards Elijah’s.

They were idling at a traffic light, waiting to pull only the only freeway that would eventually lead towards his brother’s house and the more he thought about it, the more Gavin realised it was a pretty valid question.

He took a few moments to just watch out of the window. To think that just a few days ago, it was sunny as hell. Now? It was raining, the clouds painting the night sky in even deeper greys.

Funny how weather could just change on a fucking dime.

A city always felt different when it was raining. Rain was supposed to wash away the dirt, make things feel clean and refreshed. But, something about it only served to make Detroit feel worse. 

People kept to themselves more than usual and the rain trapped things there. It covered the city in a weird sort of film that Gavin couldn’t quite put his finger on, but hey, at least in the evenings, the neon lights that sometimes reflected in the puddles looked fuckin’ pretty.   
  
Gavin tapped a thumb against his thigh as he settled back down, tipping his head to the side so he could glance to the SWAT Captain before returning his gaze to the passenger window.  
  
“Because… It’s not worth the hassle, J. No one believes me when I tell them, so I just don’t bother. You think I’ve got the energy to fuckin’ drag mine and Eli’s birth certificates around with me constantly as proof?” He turned his head back to Joseph and shrugged his shoulders as he held the man’s gaze. “Besides, I’ve just about got the space for my phone in this jacket.”

In a way, it was kind of the truth. No one did ever believe him.

Gavin thought he might have overstepped his bounds with his standoffish humour, but Joseph just shook his head and laughed.  
  
“Yeah, yeah, okay, smartass, point taken. I suppose you _can’t_ fit anything else in that stupid jacket of yours.”

The man was just about to say something else when the light changed to green and he had to turn his attention back to driving instead. 

Once they were on the freeway, the rest of the journey only took fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes of random small talk, the two of them talking about everything and nothing all at once, before Joseph turned into the road that led up to Elijah’s house and eventually came to a stop.

There was no sign of either Tina’s or Hank’s car.

_Huh, must be the first ones here._

Joseph crossed his arms over the steering wheel and stared up in a nervous sort of disbelief at the sleek, black building.  
  
A strange silence settled over the pair for a few moments before Gavin finally spoke up.

“You’re not telling me that the big buff SWAT Captain is afraid of my geek brother, are you?” His teasing voice snapped Joseph from his thoughts.  
  
“Hey, I just want to make a good impression on the guy who could probably buy out my whole apartment complex with nothing more than his pocket change, okay?”  
  
“Oh my god... you _are_. I’ll have to tell Tina when she comes, she’ll fuckin’ love that.”

Allen made a face, at which Gavin just laughed before he softened his facial expression. “Hey, don’t overthink it... just as long as you don’t suck up to him too much, you’ll be fine. Eli hates that.”

It was only natural that Joseph was a little nervous. 

After all, it was an informal setting and when two alphas who didn’t know each other met, there was always a strange unspoken sizing up of one another. A silent dick measuring contest over who was highest in the pack and it was Elijah’s house; so Joseph only wanted to be respectful. He wasn’t the type of guy to step on someone else’s toes just for the hell of it.

“Tina and Eli get along like a house on fire. You’ll be fine, Joseph, trust me. Besides, it’s my fucking birthday so he’ll just have to make do anyway. If he doesn’t like it? Elijah can go fuck himself, I don’t care.”

Gavin bumped his shoulder against Allen’s and that seemed to finally pull the man from his thoughts. Joseph caught his eye, shaking his head with a laugh and Gavin couldn’t help but feel a little proud of himself that his humour had worked a second time. He cracked a smile when Joseph bumped his own shoulder back against his arm, enough force behind the action that told him that Allen was okay.  
  
“You ready?” Gavin asked as he opened the passenger door.

“I- Oh, yeah… No, wait, shoot... I have a phone call I need to make, so give me just thirty minutes and I’ll join you?” Joseph shot back as he patted down his jacket, feeling for his phone.  
  
The man pulled it from his pocket, a triumphant look on his face before he shot Gavin a smile.  
  
“Okay, sure, man, I’ll see you inside.” Gavin lingered for just a moment before he finally clambered out of the car, patting the roof of the car with a hand before he shut the door behind him.  
  
Joseph flashed him a thumbs up as he walked by in front of the car and Gavin just shook his head and shot the man the finger in return. 

Despite it only being early October, the rain had brought with it a chill in the air and Gavin stuffed his hands into his pockets, a wide smile on his face as he made his way up the ramp to Elijah’s front door. 

He didn’t know what it was. 

But _something_ settled in his gut as he knocked on the front door, he could practically feel it curl around his stomach.  
  
Perhaps it was happiness. Happiness over the fact that he was potentially going to get the chance to talk to Nines after days of nothing. Or perhaps it was happiness over the fact that for the next few hours, he was going to have some semblance of normality. 

Or just perhaps, perhaps it was the fact he finally had that familiar alpha presence back in his life someway and didn’t realise how much he had missed it. Joseph being that silent comfort and reassurance he needed to bolster his mood.

Whatever it was, Gavin felt... content. It was different from this morning because this time, it actually felt like it was real. 

He realised there was the very real possibility that Nines wouldn’t want to talk to him, but he was beginning to realise that if that happened, it was okay. They still had a long way to go towards rebuilding that trust they had lost, but if Nines was willing to give him a second chance, Gavin _wanted_ to put in the work.  
  
 _Fuck, you’ve actually missed Nines? And fucking hold the phone, you’ve actually started to realise that the world doesn’t revolve around you?! Damn-_

The sudden appearance of Elijah in front of him snapped him from his thoughts and before his brother could object, Gavin pulled him into a hug. They clapped each other friendly on the back before Elijah pulled away.  
  
“What? No Chloe, today?”  
  
“Hey, _asshole_ , it’s your birthday, so I thought it could use a personal touch, y’know?”  
  
“And you call me the asshole…” Gavin trailed off as he only just realised that Elijah was wearing a suit. Like he was going to some fucking business meeting instead of just lowkey celebrating something at home. “You’re a bit fuckin’ dressed up. What’s the occasion?”

His brother shot him a funny look. “Shit. Can’t I dress up for my own brother’s birthday?”  
  
Gavin frowned. “Well, considering _you’ve never fuckin’ done it before_ … no, you can’t.”

Elijah just rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine, geez… If you must know, I’ve got a date over, so…” He trailed off as he hooked an arm around Gavin’s shoulders, pulling his brother into a half-hug so he could lead them both towards one of his living rooms. “I’m gonna need you to be on your best behaviour, okay? No being an asshole because _this might really be the one this time._ ”  
  
The man erupted into laughter and Gavin pulled away, shooting his brother an irritated glare which only caused the laughter to deepen. Before he could open his mouth to argue, however, Elijah settled down and continued talking.  
  
“You might like them.”

_Might like ‘em. I doubt it! You have terrible taste in people, Eli!_

Gavin’s thoughts wandered as his brother continued to talk, the two of them slowly making their way through Elijah’s house before Gavin suddenly stopped by a potted palm and some weirdly designed hall table. His brother fell silent as he realised he was no longer being followed and turned to face him with a frown. Gavin matched his expression as he leaned back against the table, crossing his arms over his chest.

Something was off. 

Elijah was too- to put it bluntly, he was being a fucking dick. Gavin didn’t know what it was, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but Elijah was being too full himself and it was rubbing him up the wrong fucking way. 

He narrowed his eyes. “You taking something, or?”  
  
Elijah just scoffed and Gavin just shot him a look before he continued, “Come on, Eli, you’re being a fucking prick.”

Gavin watched the man relax the line of his shoulders, watched as his expression morphed from cocky arrogance to an almost tired regret and Elijah shoved his hands into his pockets.  
  
“You’re right, Gav. Sorry, it’s just-”, the man cut himself off with a sigh, “-work’s been fuckin’ crazy at the moment and I guess I’m taking it back home with me a bit.”  
  
“ _A bit_. Try a fuckin’ lot.”

His brother barked out a laugh.  
  
“Yeah… Good thing I’ve got you to tell me to pull my head outta my ass then, huh?”  
  
It was Gavin’s turn to laugh.  
  
“Good fuckin’ thing. Last time you got all ‘God complex’, you gave yourself that stupid haircut and made Connor take your stupid fucking ‘Kamski Test’.”

“Connor tol-”  
  
“ _Everyone_ in the precinct knows about that one, Eli.” 

His brother shot him a sly look out of the corner of his eye before he just shook his head and Gavin pushed himself up off the side of the table, uncrossing his arms and made his way back to his brother’s side. He rolled his eyes as he caught Elijah’s almost hurt expression.  
  
“Oh, come on, you know that haircut is fuckin’ dumb.”

“I’m not even going to grace that with an answer.”  
  
Gavin quietly tried to stifle his laughter and Elijah just allowed him to have his moment, the two of them walking towards the living room. 

“Tina still coming?” Elijah asked.

The weird tone he had asked the question in made something funny settle in Gavin’s gut, but he pushed it down as he answered his brother’s question.  
  
“I couldn’t see her car outside, but yeah, she’s coming. Hank is also coming and you haven’t met him, but Joseph Allen gave me lift, he’s still in his car outside. Should be about thirty minutes because he’s taking a phone call.”  
  
“Damn, would you look at you? Hank, huh? Never thought I’d see the fuckin’ day. Wow, you’re making friends, Gavin… I’m so proud.”

“Oh, fuck off.”  
  
Elijah stopped by the living room doorway and Gavin stood next to him, his brother studying him for just a second before he spoke. “Nines is in there… You gonna be okay?”

That made Gavin stop in his tracks. 

A nervous feeling settled in the pit of his stomach for a moment, all that earlier tentative hopefulness melting away as soon as he was presented with the reality of the situation. All the things that had been bouncing around in his head, all the things that he thought he could say, all of it could mean jack-fucking-shit if Nines didn’t want to speak with him. After all, he wasn’t owed _anything_ for his shitty behaviour. 

Gavin swallowed down his anxiety. Swallowed down his own inflated sense of self importance.  
  
Nines could very well turn around and tell him to fuck off-  
  
 _You’re not fucking owed anything, dipshit._

-and that was okay.  
  
After all, it was just something that the alpha was here anyway. For _his_ birthday.  
  
 _That had to mean something, right?_

“I- thanks, but yeah, I think I’ll be okay.”

“If you’re going to talk to him, just one bit of advice-”  
  
“Don’t be my usual asshole self?

“- _Don’t_ think too hard about whatever you’re going to say. Nines just might surprise you.”

Elijah shot Gavin a look and the omega rearranged himself with a hard sigh.  
  
“Yeah, okay _, you’ve got a fucking point.”_

His brother smiled kindly at him and that managed to settle the butterflies that were dancing in Gavin’s stomach. Considering the day, if Nines spoke to him, that would just be a bonus. He matched Elijah’s smile for a second before he turned back to face the doorway and marched right through it. 

The first thing Gavin saw was the shitty “Happy Birthday” garland he and Elijah had made one year for one of their fucking birthdays, fuck if he remembered whose and he couldn’t help the small smile that formed on his face.  
  
They put it out for each of their birthdays as it had become a sort of weird Reed/Kamski tradition. 

They had made it together when they were drunk, the crappily penned capital letters had been done in glitter glue, Gavin couldn’t even remember where they had gotten _that_ from. The big sparkly letters caught the soft light from the room because Elijah had actually made an effort to make his entertaining living room inviting, the usual stark black interior was muted as it kept and held the warm light.

The rainbow flags were hanging up above the bar that was on the back wall and that’s when he finally saw him. 

Nines.

The android was standing behind the bar. 

He wasn’t wearing his CyberLife blazer, the black turtleneck-come-shirt had it’s collar closed and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. The form fitting material clung to his frame, really highlighted his assets; his broad shoulders, his height, his stockier build, and it really hit home just how _deadly_ Nines was. Gavin hadn’t realised until now. 

_Don’t get horny, you fucking jackass._

The black almost made him blend into Elijah’s interior decorating, almost like he was fucking made to be there.

He blinked as he watched Nines serve a drink to a man who he just now noticed. They had their back towards him and Gavin frowned, watching as they slowly took a sip of what appeared to be whiskey.  
  
Huh. 

_Elijah’s date?_

They were also wearing all black. 

A black button down, the sleeves loosely folded over so they were halfway up the man’s arm. Black dress pants. The only colour came from the man’s shoes, Gavin noticing that his Oxfords had a red sole to them.  
  
He looked like a cunt. A _pretentious_ cunt. 

Elijah had always had terrible taste in people. 

Gavin shook his head to himself, his brother’s cunt of a date didn’t matter, if Eli wanted to bang some asshole, that was his business, and his gaze shifted back to Nines behind the bar. He noticed the alpha lean over and whisper to the man who still had his back towards him.

The android then straightened back up, catching his eye and Gavin smiled at him.

They were still waiting for everyone else to join them. He could fucking do this. All he had to do was just sit down at the bar and _talk_ to him _._

Gavin started to slowly make his way towards where Nines was standing.

_You can do this, you can do this, you can-_

Then, he saw the man with his back to him start to turn around and when Gavin caught sight of those vacant green eyes staring straight at him, when he saw those sharp cheekbones, time seemed to slow down. 

His heart shot up into his throat. 

The fear that suddenly gripped tight at his stomach made him feel nauseous. He felt his legs start to buckle, but he somehow managed to stop himself from falling.

 _No. No, no, no, no-_ _  
__  
_That cold gaze that managed to pick him apart a thousand different ways without even trying stopped Gavin dead in his tracks. He went to back up, went to turn to leave but felt a hard body behind him. He couldn’t go anywhere. Was it Elijah behind him? He didn’t fucking know.

_“Hello, Gavin.”_

His fear started to grip at him tighter and tighter and the room felt like it was closing in on him. Gavin had to leave, he had to get his legs to move, but they were just fucking frozen. 

The grim fucking reaper was waltzing closer and closer and he couldn’t fucking move. 

He felt like he was suffocating. Like he couldn’t fucking breathe. He needed to breathe. He needed to fucking breathe. 

_God, I’m going to pass the fuck out._  
  
Neil was making his way towards him, Nines following closely behind and the only thing Gavin could do was have a fucking panic attack. The man stopped in front of him and slipped his hands into his pockets. “Nothing to say?”  
  
Every time Gavin went to open his mouth, everything he wanted to say got caught on his tongue. Every time he caught sight of Neil’s expression, every time he caught sight of that smirk that curled the man’s lips; his words just fucking died right there in his mouth. He could feel tears prick in the corners of his eyes and all he could do was will them not to fall.

He managed to pull his gaze from Neil and focused it on Nines behind him.  
  
“N-nines? _Nines?_ W-what’s… What’s going on?” Gavin couldn’t help the way his voice shook.

“He can’t help you, Gavin.”  
  
Gavin focused his attention back to Neil and finally took the man in properly. 

Hands leisurely in his pockets, all clad in black and his green eyes were just studying. Always moving. That smirk curling his lips that made a chill run down his spine. Every action was calculated and measured - nevermind the grim reaper, it was like he was standing in front of the devil himself. Because of exact angle Neil was standing, one of Elijah’s stupid circular wall lights behind him looked like literal devil horns framing the man’s loosely curly black hair like all of this was just some sick fucking joke. 

The universe really did fucking hate him.  
  
“What- what the fuck did you do?!” Gavin finally found his voice.  
  
“All I’ve done is open his eyes.”

 _Open his fucking eyes?!_ Every word that came out of Neil’s mouth made his skin crawl. Like a thousand tiny spiders were trying to claw their way out of his very being. 

Every fucking time the man spoke, a new shiver was sent down his spine, a new ice cold wave that washed over his too hot body.  
  
 _“Nines?”_ Gavin went to move forward, his attention on those unwaveringly cold grey eyes, but a strong hand around his arm stopped him.

He blinked, his tears welling and threatening to fall as he saw those same eyes narrow.  
  
“The f-fuck do you mean? _What the fuck do you mean?!”_ Gavin snapped. “Get the fuck off me, Elijah!” He tried to shake off the man’s grip, rolling his shoulder as he hastily ripped his arm from his brother.

Nines took a step forward and Gavin instantly bit down his temper, the alpha’s scent curling in his nostrils and forcing him quiet. Gavin’s gaze was torn between the android and the man by his side.

“Didn’t you say you wanted a more _‘alpha’_ alpha?” 

_‘You’re a weak fuckin’ alpha, Nines and we both fucking know it.’_ _  
_  
“I wiped all of his memories, all of his fucking dreams and desires and rewrote his entire fucking personality, Gavin. Well... every memory bar one. That argument you two had before you found Christina? I used that underpin his _new_ personality. The one I wrote with _your brother’s_ help.”  
  
That was strike number one. 

It hit Gavin in his very core and a tear slipped down his cheek.  
  
“Y-you’re lying… Eli-Elijah would n-never, he’s an asshole sure, but he-he wouldn’t-”

He couldn’t even get his fucking words out without tripping over each one that fell from his lips.

“Hm. _He wouldn’t_. You say that, but that’s not even the best part.” Neil paused as he took a step forward, his expression dropping away to a ruthless coldness, studying Gavin just a moment before he continued speaking. “Did you know Elijah here programmed Nines for _you?_ That he was getting sick of you being a burden, that he wanted you to stop fucking whining about everything, so he made you an alpha that you’d fall in love with?” 

The man looked at him with an expression that almost begged Gavin to look back at Elijah behind him, but he couldn’t. Gavin didn’t dare look away from Neil even though he so fucking wished he could.  
  
Alpha was pressing in on all sides, he was too vulnerable. The real stinger, though? The man in front of him posed the biggest threat of all and he didn’t even have a secondary fucking gender.  
  
“Y-you’re-  
  
“What? Lying? Your love with Nines here wasn’t even real, so I have taken away _nothing._ I’ve simply opened his eyes and finally made him his own person.”

_“Y-you’re fucking lying!”_

Strike number two. 

Gavin kept repeating himself, but it was all he could do. Like if he gave more thought to his responses, it would make what Neil was saying real, that Nines _had_ been made for him. That Elijah programmed him an alpha that would what? Tame him? Make him more palatable? He didn’t want to think of the implications.  
  
 _What if nothing has been real?_

It didn’t matter that deep down, Gavin knew he shouldn’t trust a word that came out of Neil’s mouth.That he knew that the man would say _anything_ to keep him there, but that was the funny thing, Neil knew exactly what to say because there Gavin was, questioning when he should have been running.

Each word that came out the man’s mouth was like a knife, cutting into Gavin where he was most vulnerable; picking him apart and pinning him open for the whole world to see.  
  
 _What if, what if, wha-_

Neil just let out a hum, like his outburst wasn’t worth the energy.  
  
Gavin backed himself up, tears welling in his eyes as he bumped against Elijah’s chest again. He tipped his head back, a pleading expression on his face as he tried to catch his brother’s eye. 

“E-Eli? Elijah? P-please… Please… I-I’m s-sor-” Omega shot up through him, almost forced a shaky apology from his lips before he stopped himself, like somehow this was all Gavin’s fault and he had to fix it.  
  
 _If you had just acted more like an omega-_

“E-Elijah? P-please... Tell me this isn’t true. _Tell me!”_ Gavin pleaded, tears slipping down his cheeks.  
  
Hard hands made him face forward and held him there. Elijah’s hands.  
  
\- _then maybe you wouldn’t be in this mess._  
  
“You think Elijah is going to help you?” Neil paused and let out a laugh. “Do you know your mother is in the next room because _he_ invited her?”  
  
That made Gavin settle down, he didn’t know why.  
  
“No. No, she isn’t, Elijah-”  
  
“Elijah wouldn’t do that? Oh, Gavin, your brother here is a piece of shit! I’m really starting to wonder if you know him at all.” Neil paused as he cocked his head to the side. When Gavin didn’t say anything, the man continued. “Aren’t you wondering why I’m here? Why I know today is your fucking birthday? Elijah has been helping me all along. Keeping me safe from the police.... Feeding me information about you.”

That made something else overtake his sadness. First disbelief curled around Gavin’s stomach, but it was quickly overtaken by anger. He became hyper aware of Elijah’s hands gripping his arms, it made him feel sick. 

For some reason, Gavin got the feeling Neil wasn’t lying about this. But that anger was short lived as the man pulled out something from his pocket. 

A little vial filled with a sparkling, almost neon-red powder. 

The fear that gripped tight at him almost made Gavin’s legs buckle. Everything else in the room seemed to fall away until it was just him, Neil and that vial he held in his hand.

Gavin knew what it was. How the fuck could he forget?

 _Strike number fucking three._  
  
It was like he was back in that warehouse all over again, tied to a girder so he couldn’t move.  
  
Neil held the vial up to his face, green eyes focused intently on its contents as he tapped a finger against the glass. The powder shifted just slightly so it caught the light, shimmering as that fucking smirk curled the man’s lips again. It made Gavin’s stomach twist into knots. 

Neil eventually drew his eyes from it, his gaze focusing on Gavin who was just frozen in front of him. He saw that fearful recognition written all over the omega’s face, it was the reaction he was after and Neil’s expression darkened when Gavin’s eyes eventually met his.

He gripped the vial tight and lowered his arm back down. 

“You think I’m really to blame for the mimicker you got spiked with? _I’m not._ ” _  
_  
Gavin scrunched his face up into a hard frown, searching Neil’s face for any sign that whatever he was about to say next was a lie.  
  
 _‘I could be telling you the truth. I could be the first fucking person and you have no way of knowing.’_ _  
_  
“W-what do you mean?”  
  
He knew he shouldn’t be playing into Neil’s game, but he couldn’t help it. The man knew exactly what to say.  
  
“Elijah Kamski? _Your brother_? He’s the one to blame. Your changed biology? It’s his fault, Gavin-”

“No. _No._ You’re lying... E-Elijah? _Eli?!_ Tell me he’s fucking lying! Tell me-”

“- you wouldn’t have been spiked in the first place if Elijah hadn’t made the compound that would eventually go on to be Red Ice. It’s just coincidence that the drug turned out to be a heat mimicker for omegas-”  
  
 _“-TELL ME HE’S FUCKING LYING, ELIJAH!”_  
  
“-Every spiked omega? Every death? All. His. Fault. This new strain? All the fucking damage and chaos it will cause? _You?_ It’s on him, Gavin.”

The silence from Elijah behind him was confirmation enough and Gavin’s temper melted away as the realisation _really_ set in. His stomach dropped. Nausea gripped tight at every fibre of his being. His own flesh and blood, his own fucking family, the one he thought he could trust, was the one really to blame. For him. For every spiked omega going. For _everything_. Gavin couldn’t breathe, his heart was beating in his throat. He felt like he was going to be fucking sick.

It was his childhood all over again.  
  
Gavin needed to leave but his legs wouldn’t move.  
  
 _Move! Fucking move, asshole! You need to get the fuck outta here! MOVE! PLEASE!_

Tears slipped down his cheeks.

“You’ve got no one left, Gavin. Elijah’s been lying to you this entire time and the whole relationship you’ve had with Nines has been fake. A fucking illusion. Can’t you see? I’m the only one that’s been telling you the truth-”  
  
Neil took a step closer, but he still couldn’t move.  
  
“-And truth be told, you’ve been running for far too long. I told you that you’re mine, that you should never have been rescued from that warehouse. You fucking _owe_ me, Gavin. And now? I’m simply coming to collect.”  
  
 _You need to move, Gavin! MOVE!_

He needed to move. If Gavin didn’t move, this was it. It was game over, right here.  
  
 _Joseph’s still outside, if you can get to him, you can both get the fuck out of here._

Neil stopped for a moment, searching his face for something. For what? Gavin didn’t know, but he just watched the man’s face morph into an almost disappointed indifference.  
  
 _“Make sure he can’t escape and hold open his fucking mouth.”_

Gavin watched in slow motion as Neil flicked off the cap-

_Move! THIS IS IT! THIS DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THE WAREHOUSE ALL OVER AGAIN! MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!_

-and he didn’t know where the sudden burst of energy came from. Perhaps it was because he felt Elijah’s grip falter on him just slightly. Or perhaps it was because, deep down, Gavin didn’t actually want this to be it. 

Whatever the reason, in the blink of an eye, Gavin managed to wiggle himself free from his brother’s grip. Then, he twirled around and punched him right in the fucking jaw.

It would have felt cathartic, but Gavin didn’t have the time to process.

His legs carried him on autopilot as he ran towards the living room door, it was only a moment’s head start and all he could do was pray it was enough. Gavin had ran halfway down the hallway before he heard familiar footfalls behind him.  
  
He knew it was Nines.  
  
 _Of course Neil would send Nines after him._

“Why are you running, Gavin?!”

He was being stalked through the halls of his brother’s house by his own partner. The android he’d fallen for. The alpha he thought he could perhaps spend the rest of his life with.  
  
He was being stalked through the halls by a goddamn Terminator.

If Nines caught him, it really would be game fucking over.  
  
“Isn’t this what you wanted?! For me to be more of an alpha?!” 

Gavin didn’t dare look back. 

He kept running, kept moving. A niggling feeling in his gut spurring him to move faster and nerves were creeping up his spine. Some small advantage he had was that he knew the layout of his brother’s house. Some small advantage? It was the only fucking advantage he had. 

Gavin weaved through Elijah’s furniture, wound his way through various rooms; all to make sure he didn’t get caught, but it didn’t matter. He perhaps gained a second. Nines was still right behind him.  
  
“Stop fucking running!”  
  
That niggling feeling started to wrap itself up his spine. His lungs burned but his legs kept going. Gavin didn’t dare look back.  
  
“Stop fucking running from who you are, omega!”

He could see the front door. He stumbled to a stop. Fumbled with the handle. He could hear Nines’ footsteps get closer and closer as he ripped open the door.  
  
“Stop fucking running from what you’ve done!”

Thankfully, Joseph was still in his car. He caught sight of Gavin stumbling down the ramp and it was a small miracle he didn’t fall given it was still raining.  
  
“Start the car! Start the fuckin’ car, Joseph! WE NEED TO FUCKIN’ GO! NOW!” Gavin yelled.  
  
He heard the engine roar into life, saw Allen turn the car around in record fucking time. That feeling was still creeping up his spine, sinking in its claws. It wasn’t nerves. His chest was heaving. He saw the passenger door fling open and he threw himself into the seat.

Gavin rearranged himself, pressed his cheek up against the window as he looked back at Elijah’s house. Nines was halfway down the ramp when they finally sped off.  
  
Talk about fucking close.  
  
“Jesus fucking Christ! Holy shit! Holy f-fuckin’ shit!” Joseph exclaimed, gripping at the steering wheel as he pushed the pedal to the floor. “Gav… buddy, fuck… What’s going on? You okay?”  
  
Gavin was still slumped against the window, breathing heavily and his heart was pounding.  
  
He was safe, so why the fuck couldn’t he calm down?  
  
That niggling feeling was starting to really dig in.  
  
It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t nerves.  
  
It was his heat. 

That feeling got trapped in his stomach, it sank in like a thousand little knives and it felt like he was being slowly ripped apart from the inside out. _He needed to be mated_.  
  
“G-god f-fuc-k-king… Jos- f-fuck- _ah!”_  
  
Joseph managed to draw his eyes from the road for just a second.  
  
He caught sight of Gavin’s flushed cheeks, the bulge in his jeans, his rapidly heaving chest and spaced out expression and he just fucking knew.  
  
Joseph floored it, pushed his car to as fast it could go and even turned on his siren.  
  
“H-help… please… _please!”_ Gavin cried as he almost doubled over, his blood starting to burn in his veins. 

_Yeah._

_Happy fucking Birthday, Gavin._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Gavin, I say like I'm not writing this story :')
> 
> Also:  
> I was debating several Orville Peck songs to include before I finally settled on 'Hope to Die.'  
> I love him and really feel some of his songs fit Bloodlines Gavin a *lot* (Turn to Hate was my other choice)
> 
> If anyone wants a listen to Hope to Die on YT, [here you go!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60MHmrtEuRY)
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter overall and thanks for reading! <3


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin really didn't want to have a heat as a birthday present but here he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is explicit GavAllen in this chapter.  
> If it isn't your cup of tea, I understand, the next chapter will be business as usual but please note, there is some crucial plot after the second page break that sets up chapter 11 (this is also where the smut ends) but! If you stick around and give these two boys a chance, thank you!
> 
> I've kept meaning to post the playlist I've made for this fic, so if you want to know some of the music I think fits Gavin, the overall story and Neil, you can listen [over on my spotify here!](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1xcyliV2fGcbINrGZovnMW?si=jNmCrtCPRsW2bS6G9zeJNA)
> 
> Also I've got to give a massive shoutout to my girl Bones for beta'ing, this chapter went through so much work and it wouldn't be half as good without you (sorry it drove you up the wall!) <3

Joseph sped down the highway, siren blaring as he weaved in and out of traffic.

They were five minutes away from finally making it to Gavin’s apartment, but a sound from the passenger seat drew his attention from the road for a moment.

Something twisted around the man’s gut as he saw the way Gavin was writhing, the way a pained whine caught in his throat as he tried to palm himself through his jeans.

“I know, Gavin, _I know-”_ Joseph murmured in the most reassuring tone he could. He could hear the strain in his own voice, he just hoped Gavin wouldn’t pick up on it.

His scent was just so strong, Joseph found himself having to fight against his own instincts just a little while longer, just until they got to the apartment. “-You’re being so good.”

The omega had already tried to strip once. He had already tried to pull one of Joseph’s hands over under the guise of getting him to jerk him off.

Joseph had been nothing but gentle the entire time, even if tensions were running high considering he was still fucking driving. But any good alpha would be kind, would be gentle and reassuring, only becoming firmer when it was absolutely necessary; the time Gavin tried to pull his hand from the wheel being one of them.

“Gavin?”

He managed to break through to the omega for just a moment, he could see the way Gavin settled just slightly and Joseph’s eyes continually darted between the man beside him and the road ahead. 

He ended up cursing beneath his breath as he swerved rather harshly around a 16-Wheeler that wouldn’t have been able to move out of their way in time.

Thankfully, the Captain was able to regain control without too much trouble. He supposed being the captain of a SWAT team came in handy because despite the slight mishap of Gavin trying to yank his hand from the wheel, he was able to divide his attention without much more trouble.

“Hey… Focus on my voice, okay? We’re five minutes away, just hang on for a little bit longer and then you can have me. I promise.” There was a soothing edge to his voice, a placating tone that was buried in that slight southern twang that peeked through his words. It often did when he wound up in stressful situations.

It was clear that Gavin didn’t know what to do with himself, his body was too overly sensitive to everything.

There was a fire that raged in the omega’s veins, burning him up from the inside out and he desperately needed release.

Allen had told him to behave and he could see that Gavin really was _trying_ , that he did want to behave and to please Joseph, but the alpha also knew that the flame wouldn’t fucking die and would continue to rage on, demanding that Gavin do _something_ about it.

It demanded that he got the alpha that was so very clearly interested in him to mate him.

Tears slipped down Gavin’s cheeks and Joseph knew that an in heat omega felt as though they were being torn apart at the seams, being torn apart one cell at a time.

With Gavin’s modified heats, Joseph could only imagine just how fucking difficult it must be; which was why he was leaning towards being more gentle than stern. 

He could tell Gavin was fighting with himself.  
  
“P-please, Jo… Joseph… I-I’m being… I g-good… I promise, plea…” Gavin pleaded, his words trailing off as he let out a groan. 

Joseph heard the pain that was laced in that moan, but he couldn’t press the pedal to the floor any fucking harder. He heard how drawn out it got, how it caught in Gavin’s throat and fuck, how he just wanted to pull over right then and there.

His own blood was heating up, screaming at him to mate the so very clearly in heat omega, alpha responding in the only way it knew how. It forced Joseph’s body into its own sort of corresponding heat. 

_Omega in heat? Need to mate the omega. Need to keep it up for a week._

That musky heat scent that was heady at the best of times, was curling with Gavin’s natural one and in the small confined space of the car, it was like a long drawn out punch right to his gut. 

It was driving him up the fucking wall. 

Joseph’s own dick was uncomfortably hard in his pants, it had him gripping the steering wheel tighter and tighter with each passing second. There was enough adrenaline and testosterone surging through his veins, that he was pretty sure he could rip the thing clean off the dash if he tried hard enough.

All his brain kept telling him was that there was an omega _right there._

Nevermind that he was in the middle of the fucking freeway and didn’t want to crash and kill them both.

The looming threat of death if his focus swayed too far to the man in the passenger seat was the only thing that stopped Joseph from giving the attention he so desperately needed.

In the back of his mind, there was that constant worry, Gavin’s words from a few days earlier relaying in his mind about how his heat could kill him and that thought alone had him contemplating pulling over on more than one occasion. 

But the risk of getting caught was just too high. If that happened, it wouldn’t help anyone.

Not just that, but the alpha wasn’t so sure how he’d react to someone trying to intervene. Alphas got possessive at the best of times during heats as instincts kicked in, shoving their rational thinking into the backseat.

The need to mate and protect their omega overtook everything else.

They were just pulling off the highway and out of the corner of his eye, Joseph caught sight of Gavin as he slumped halfway down the seat with a pained whimper, curving his hips up into the air as he stretched out his legs, his muscles taut like a spring. 

The man’s legs shook slightly as he ran a hand down the expanse of his chest, fingers raking in the fabric of his shirt before his hand came to a shaky stop on top of his crotch. Gavin stayed like that for a moment before he slowly pressed against the clear bulge there, hissing in a sharp breath at the contact.

Joseph could literally see the wheels turning in the omega’s mind; did he want to displease his alpha by going against his wishes? Or did he want to touch himself to try and get relief he knew he wouldn’t get anyway? He watched for just a second longer before he returned his eyes to the road, his attention caught between it and the omega at his side.

But Gavin couldn’t stop himself. 

For a moment, his hand lingered there, but his eyes soon slipped closed as he started to palm himself slowly through his jeans, tipping his head back as a low moan escaped his lips.

Gavin moved his hand quicker and quicker, but his eyes soon flickered open as angry, hot tears slipped down his cheeks, his moan getting caught somewhere low in his throat before it twisted into a frustrated growl as he eventually went still.

 _It wasn’t helping_.

Gavin needed an alpha; the act of mating itself was the only thing that would stop the fire that was raging in his blood for a while. That would break the cycle.

The omega visibly grit his teeth as he sucked in another harsh breath before he pushed himself back up in the seat, a displeased sound sitting in the back of his throat as he started to squirm. 

Those alpha instincts began sinking their claws in just a little bit more, along with worry as he heard pained whines interrupting the sounds of Gavin’s panted breathing.

Joseph sped through a red light, swerved around stopped cars as he gripped even tighter at the wheel with enough force to have his knuckles turning white.

Slight relief only swam through his gut as he caught sight of Gavin’s apartment building.  
  
“Hold on for me, we’re almost there, I promise.”

Those words seemed to make something snap inside Gavin’s brain; like he just couldn’t take it anymore. 

He clawed at his jacket, literally ripping out his arms as he yanked it off and over his head and chucked it somewhere behind them. He scrambled as he peeled off the shirt underneath, his skin flushed and coated with a fine sheen of sweat.

A needy whine escaped Gavin’s mouth as he tossed the shirt into the back seat too before proceeding to hastily strip himself of everything bar his boxers.  
  
Joseph could almost hear the thought process going through the omega. That need just growing and growing and fucking growing.

The alpha’s nose scrunched up. 

Gavin’s scent was getting too strong to ignore for much longer. He was just so fucking glad that they were turning into the apartment building’s parking garage as that heady mix of pheromones shot straight to his cock.

The wheels of his car all but screeched against the asphalt, struggling to grip the road as he turned into the garage, finally turning off the siren now they were off the main roads.

He needed to mate Gavin just as much as Gavin needed to be mated.  
  
He frantically searched for a parking space, a growl of frustration forming in the back of his throat as he passed car after car, cursing under his breath until he finally found a free spot.  
  
Joseph sped towards it, an intoxicating jolt of expectation creeping up his spine. He was practically turning into the parking space when Gavin scrambled into his lap without warning. 

Sure, it was a bit of a squeeze, but he fit.

The moment he was on the captain’s lap, Gavin pressed up against his body, desperately trying to scent him as he rocked his hips, rubbing his ass back against his cock. Thankfully, Joseph just about slammed on the brakes, but that didn’t stop the bumper of the car knocking gently against the concrete wall in front as it came to a stop. He then cut the engine in record fucking speed.

Any underlying anger was quick to melt away when Gavin crashed his lips to Joseph’s and the alpha was quickly lost to the overwhelming sensations.

The heat of the omega pressed up against him, his ass grinding against his erection, Gavin’s natural scent curling around that intense heat scent.

The unmistakably strong smell of his slick; it all came together to make an intoxicating high that went straight to his groin. 

Joseph couldn’t get enough of it. 

Now that the car was parked, he could finally be the alpha his blood was screaming at him to be. He could take charge of the situation, mate the omega writhing in his lap and take care of him afterwards. Any good alpha would turn themselves inside out to make sure their omega was safe and satisfied and Joseph was no exception.

The time for words was over, instinct was now driving both their actions.

Joseph gathered Gavin in his arms, almost boxing him in as he pressed the omega back against the steering wheel which caused the horn to sound momentarily, but neither of them cared.  
  
He took his time to slowly snake his hand up along Gavin’s back, fingers feeling over every scar, over every section of skin he could before they eventually fisted into the man’s sweat-damp hair.

Despite growing breathless, they continued kissing, each one growing more messy than the last and he could feel the omega still rocking against him. He could feel the way Gavin's actions grew more and more desperate as the air surrounding them was almost suffocating with their scents curling together in such a tight space.

He felt the man groan into his mouth as their dicks pressed up against each other and Joseph _would_ get there, but this courtship was a dance as old as time. 

Allen pulled back slightly, watching through half hooded eyes as he gently yanked downwards with his hand that was still tangled in the omega’s hair.

He bit his lip, a carefully expectant expression on his features as he coaxed Gavin into baring his throat for him, but he didn’t need convincing. The man was practically liquid in his hands, pliant and easily malleable. It left Joseph unable to fight the almost proud smile that danced on his lips for just a few seconds before he leaned in closer.

With his hand still tangled in those brown locks, Joseph pressed up against Gavin’s body, kissing him once more before mouthing his way down his neck. His teeth scraped against the sensitive flesh, but he didn’t mark him up just yet.

Instead, unable to help the need that shot through him, telling him to savour the man’s scent just that little bit longer, Joseph buried his face into the crook of Gavin’s neck and breathed in deep.

He was pretty sure it was the alpha in him talking, but God, Gavin smelled fucking divine. 

He gently pressed a kiss to the delicate skin before biting down, finally marking the omega with his teeth, a jolt of pleasure shooting right to his dick as he heard Gavin’s little moan at the sensation. 

For the next week, as far as Joseph was concerned, Gavin was his. His omega. His mate. It was first of many bite marks to come, because the whole fucking world needed to know.  
  
Joseph worked the man’s flesh with his teeth, sucking slightly to make sure the bite mark would last before he reached down with his other hand to palm Gavin through his boxers. 

He’d start slow; with their foreheads gently pressed together, eyes taking in every minute reaction so he could gage how the omega was handling things.

He took in the way Gavin had his eyes closed, the way the man's brows were knit tightly together as he bit down on his lip. Every expression, no matter how miniscule had a content feeling settling into his gut.

There was a look of ecstasy laced relief that washed over Gavin’s features as he slowly started to rut against Joseph’s leg. The omega’s hips were moving involuntarily, rocking in time with the slow movement of his hand and just by that, Joseph _knew_ he was enjoying it.

Good. _That was good._ After all, he would move heaven and earth to make sure Gavin was being cared for during his heat.

“You’re being so good.”

He watched as the omega numbly nodded his head. Watched as Gavin’s eyes flickered open so he could look him in face. “Y-y- es, I-m… g-good… I p-prom… Jos-”

Those words fell short, being eaten up by a moan as Joseph reached past the band of his boxers, slipping them down slightly as he took Gavin’s dick in his hand so he could slowly work his length properly.

He supported Gavin with his other arm as the omega tipped his head back and all it took were a few leisurely strokes once he got going before he felt the man tense up and come in his hand. 

Of course that didn’t do much, he was still hard, but Joseph expected it. 

After their bar visit, Gavin had eventually done the smart thing and actually explained during a very long phone call later that same evening about exactly what Joseph should expect if he had to see him through his heat.  
  
The frustrated and pained sound that escaped Gavin’s throat had a funny feeling sitting in Joseph’s chest as he rearranged the both of them so he could undo his jeans. 

_“It’s okay.”_ He soothed. 

The way Gavin looked at him with his pupils blown wide, Allen could literally see that he was actively trying to make sense of his words, so he decided to speak with actions instead.

After all, they always spoke louder than words.

He cupped Gavin’s cheek, guiding his head back forward and in turn, met him halfway. He placed a gentle kiss to the man’s hairline, rubbing a soothing thumb over flushed skin before he slowly rested his forehead against Gavin’s again, holding eye contact.

With just that a look alone, Joseph held Gavin there as he slid the man’s boxers further down his thighs. Gavin must have caught onto what was happening, because he just about managed to support himself on his legs, trembling slightly as he lined himself up, Allen pulling down his own jeans and boxers in turn.

The omega slowly lowered himself down, taking the Captain’s whole length inch by inch until his ass was flush on his lap. It stopped Joseph dead in his tracks and it was his turn to let out a drawn out moan; it got caught deep in his chest and fuck, that slick, wet heat around his cock felt fucking fantastic.  
  
He couldn’t stop his hips from moving, the need to fuck up into the omega in his lap becoming too difficult to ignore.

Gavin needed mating, so Joseph obliged and his hips started to move faster.

As his breath caught in his throat, moans tumbling from both of their lips, Joseph rested Gavin back against the steering wheel for support, who in turn, met him with every single thrust.

Joseph then wound his left arm around the man’s lower back so he could press himself right up against the body in front of him, keeping a sturdy support on Gavin as he continued to rock his hips up into him.

He must have brushed up against the omega’s prostate, because no more than a few thrusts later, Gavin was coming again, dick still hard between them, but it wasn’t exactly like Joseph was expecting him to come down just yet.

The alpha angled his hips so he could continue to thrust up against that spot and each time he did, those pretty little moans tumbling from Gavin’s lips got deeper, louder. Which, in turn, only spurred Joseph on to snap his hips up that little bit harder as he bore his teeth.

His chest was rising and falling more quickly with each thrust, the windows on the car beginning to fog up with condensation as their breathing quickened. He was hit with a wave of lust as one of Gavin’s hands shot out against the window to try to support himself, fingers sliding down the fogged up glass, leaving behind a little trail.

Joseph chased after Gavin’s mouth, but the omega only managed to messily kiss him once before he let his head fall back, losing himself to the sensations with loud, throaty groans as Joseph wrapped his free hand around his cock.

He jerked Gavin off in time with his movements and in no time at all, Gavin came again. Then again. Not that it mattered, Joseph kept his hand moving as he mouthed his way down his neck. 

He pressed messy, open mouthed kisses to every section of the man’s flush, sensitive skin and he could feel the way the omega was burning up.

He rocked his hips with more and more force, feeling his own release dancing closer and closer to the surface. In the back of his mind, Joseph could only pray that he had done enough so that when that release and relief washed over him, he could offer the same in return to Gavin.

Keeping up with the brutal pace he had set, Joseph just hoped that what he was about to do next would finally be enough to tip the omega in his lap over the edge.

More grunts and rough moans filled the car as he dipped into an energy that he didn’t even realise he had.

The sheer force he was rocking his hips with became more erratic, more desperate as that delicious climax coiled tight around his abdomen, like a rubber band pulled taut, ready to snap at any given moment.

A grunt got caught somewhere deep within Joseph’s chest, morphing into a deep, drawn out sound as he snapped his hips up into that slick heat one last time at the same time as biting down on Gavin’s neck.

He could feel his knot start to swell, catching on Gavin’s rim and in that moment, he was convinced that it was the best feeling in the goddamn world. 

Joseph vaguely registered that Gavin had come as well and this time, he could feel that it had finally been enough to grant that release that the omega so desperately needed. 

For the time being, that fire in Gavin’s blood had been sated.

 _Thank fucking Christ._  
  
Eventually, the lazy motion of Joseph’s hips slowed, it taking a long few minutes for him to come back to himself. It was only then that he realised he still had his mouth on Gavin’s neck, teeth clamped in place. 

He let his jaw fall slack so he could pull back enough to eye those pretty little marks and bruises he had left before he placed a gentle kiss to each one.

The gentle action earned him a soft hum and when Joseph pulled himself back up to properly look at Gavin’s face, he couldn’t fight the little lazy smile that tugged at his lips. He could see the blissed out expression, that tired, yet visibly grateful twinkle in the man’s eyes as he shyly bit his lip, holding Joseph’s gaze.

There was that content feeling again. Settling right in the centre of Joseph’s chest seeing firsthand that Gavin was safe and satisfied.  
  
“Hey… How you feelin’? Better?” Joseph’s voice was soft and he was genuinely surprised that it came out that way, considering how rough it was around the edges. His accent was in full swing as it often was after sex, but he didn’t care. 

He just watched as Gavin leisurely nodded his head and Joseph couldn’t help but experimentally shift his hips to move the knot that was still buried deep in Gavin’s ass. He felt the way the omega tensed up around him, heard the way his breath hitched in his throat.

Joseph was one hundred percent just teasing at this point, but it didn’t stop the sly smile that bordered being a smirk spread across his lips as he felt Gavin’s cock twitch against him.

It took a few more moments before Gavin fully came back to himself, his chest rising and falling a little more calmly; and once he did, he didn’t think twice before he snuggled up to Allen’s chest.

Joseph hugged Gavin close, boxing him in with two strong arms, providing him with that safety and reassurance and in turn, he could feel the way Gavin buried himself deep into his hold, fingers furling into his shirt and clinging to it like a lifeline.

He planted a soft kiss to Gavin’s temple, then another before he gently rested his chin atop the man’s head.

“J-Joseph?” Gavin asked eventually, his voice sleepy and barely there at all.

“Hm?” 

“Good?”  
  
Allen squeezed Gavin gently, knowing that the omega in Gavin was after reassurance.  
  
“You were so good... Rest, you dumbass.”

All he got in response was a soft, little content hum and he could hear that Gavin’s breathing had finally settled completely. They were still connected at the hip and it would take at least then minutes before they’d be able to even think about getting up and moving.

Ten minutes before Joseph would finally be rational enough to deal with the fact they were both covered in bodily fluids. Ten minutes before Joseph would have to clean them both up and deal with getting Gavin up and into his apartment. Ten minutes before he’d have to prep the space for the next week and worry about if Gavin had enough food or not to see them through the next week.  
  
But right now? For these next ten minutes?  
  
Joseph hugged Gavin tighter to him still, the need to make sure his omega was safe still surging through his veins and he felt Gavin snuggle his cheek against his chest. 

They were both content just being tangled up together in Joseph’s car, the only sound between them being Gavin’s slowly easing breath.

And sure enough, ten minutes later, Joseph’s head was finally clear and focused enough that they could move, so he decided to bite the bullet. After all, they couldn’t stay inside his car for a week.

First, he made sure to get in contact with Tina. 

The phone call wasn’t long, but it was enough so they could touch base. He made sure that both her and Hank were safe, then he informed her of the situation. “Oh, uh, also, me and Gav won’t be in at the station for at least a week.” Was all he said with a slight shake of his head. 

Joseph didn’t have to state he was seeing Gavin through his heat because Tina caught on immediately - best friend and everything. 

After promising to see Gavin through and keep him safe, they said their goodbyes. 

Then, he then cleaned them both up the best he could. 

Joseph slipped on Gavin’s shirt for him and coaxed him into putting his boxers back on, all guiding suggestions with supportive kisses, all because Gavin couldn’t quite grasp the simple concept of why being completely naked in public was a bad idea. 

Alphas managed to get a slight break from their hormones, but omegas? They basically had ‘heat brain’ all the time. 

Sure, the mating cycle would break, giving them some respite from the constant need to be mated, but then it would just build back up. That fire was on a never ending loop for a week. 

So, what might usually be simple requests became mountains for omegas to climb; their minds just constantly caught surrounded by a haze that wouldn’t go away until their heat was finished. 

This left anything too complex definitely off the table. 

Five minutes later, Gavin was half dressed and figuring it was better than nothing, Joseph finally gathered him up in his arms, locked his car and carried him bridal style to the elevator. 

The place was empty and the ride up to Gavin’s floor was thankfully rather quiet; the two of them staying close to each other with Joseph propping Gavin up beside him on his shaky legs, the need to be close still being there.

Hormones were surging through both of their bodies; Gavin needed that safety, that reassurance and Joseph needed to keep Gavin safe, _needed_ to protect him.

The only problem they encountered was when Joseph stood outside of the man’s front door, fumbling with Gavin’s hand as he tried to press his thumb to the lock.  
  
His neighbour across the way peaked out their head when they heard the commotion and even at such a small action of a stranger, Joseph found he had to reign in his anger, reign in that overwhelming need to protect _his_ omega at all costs that suddenly shot through him. He took a moment, set his jaw, then told the woman that everything was fine and to go back into their apartment.

The woman’s eyes darted between him and Gavin who was slouched against him, half naked and completely out of it. He was absentmindedly rubbing his cheek against Allen’s chest, mumbling incoherent sentences under his breath, desperately trying to scent him and all Joseph could do was pray that Gavin’s neighbour wasn’t an alpha too.

“Long night. I got this.” Was all he managed to grit out, shooting the woman behind the door a curt and slightly forced smile. 

It was a Saturday evening, not even nine o’clock, but Joseph hoped they got the picture and minded their own business.

He caught the look of understanding that crept across the woman’s face and saw her irritated expression soften slightly before she numbly nodded her head and disappeared back behind the door.

They eventually got inside and after a little while, Gavin was slumped over his breakfast bar, mindlessly watching Joseph rummage through his kitchen through heavy-lidded eyes.

The alpha knew the omega could still feel that heat coiled in the pit of his stomach; lust curled together with that fire that still slowly crept along his veins, that made his blood constantly run hot. He saw that spaced out expression and knew that Gavin was struggling, that his mind was just an abstract haze of things that swam and danced just below the surface. 

The man watched as Gavin rearranged himself in his stool, a small needy whine escaping his lips as he moved his hips. It was clear his body was still too sensitive, still too open to stimulus and at the sound, the alpha caught his eye. 

A familiar smile spread across Joseph’s face, one that was warm and made his green eyes sparkle, but Gavin caught the gentle teasing underneath, caught the sly line to the way Joseph carried himself and his dick twitched in his boxers. Joseph knew it.  
  
The omega bit at his lip and a similar smile curled at his mouth. 

That was the thing, that fire in an omega’s belly never really went away, it was like turning a flame down low so you could put something on the backburner. It was constantly burning, constantly creeping below the surface and along their veins. It purely depended on when their body would push them into entering another cycle.

When _Gavin’s_ body would push itself in another cycle and once it did, Joseph would be right there with him. 

Joseph softened his expression as he held Gavin’s gaze. He could see the slight glazed over look that his eyes had to them and could tell that Gavin was, yet again, trying his best given the situation. 

“You hungry?” He coaxed, voice gentle.

Joseph had prepped Gavin’s apartment the best he could. He had quickly familiarised himself with the layout, had learnt where Gavin kept everything that they would need. He placed stacks of clean towels in key places, made sure they had enough food to at least get Gavin through the first few days. Ruby wouldn’t be too much of a problem either.

He made the whole place more secure; drawing the blinds and curtains and had rearranged Gavin’s sheets on his bed. He made sure there were plenty of cushions and sheets in the living room too, just in case. 

Hell, he even dragged out a few thick blankets Gavin had stuffed in a corner and arranged them on his couch; all simple actions but it made the space feel safer, more confined. 

Joseph watched Gavin contemplate his question for a few minutes before he finally shook his head.

“I’d like for you to try and eat something anyway, can you be good and do that for me?”

An order worded as a suggestion because honey always worked better than vinegar.

Gavin needed to eat something. They were supposed to have had dinner at Elijah’s, so that meant that neither of them had eaten a proper meal since lunch. Never mind just Gavin, they both needed the sustenance and energy.

There was a slightly confused expression sitting on the omega’s face when he looked at him, that look quickly morphing into worry.

It didn’t take a genius to tell that Gavin was worried that his earlier disagreement had displeased him. Joseph was quick to dispel that panic with a reassuring smile before an unwarranted apology had the chance to tumble from the man’s lips.

Turning back around, Joseph grabbed a few protein pouches from one of the cupboards and placed them gently on the counter in front of Gavin. He didn’t need anymore coaxing, didn’t need Joseph to say anything before he picked one up.

He watched as Gavin struggled with the cap; the way his brow was pulled into an exaggerated frown with his tongue poking out from his mouth slightly as he concentrated and Joseph couldn’t help but feel it was strangely endearing. 

When the omega finally got the pouch open, an adorably triumphant smile graced his lips for just a moment as he held up the pouch for the alpha to see. Joseph leaned against the counter with an encouraging nod of his head along with a soft and warm, “Good job, buddy!”, leaving his lips as a comforting smile sat on his face.

Gavin carefully wrapped his tongue around the sucky-spout, the alpha studying him for just a moment longer and once satisfied Gavin was going to behave and eat both of them, he turned his attention back to the kitchen. 

He wasn’t a vegetarian, but he knew Gavin was. He had spied eggs and mushrooms in his fridge, as well as copious amounts of broccoli and green beans. 

Two big mushroom omelettes with a large side of broccoli and green beans for dinner it was. 

Thirty minutes later and Joseph was sitting right next to Gavin at the bar, the two of them slowly eating their food. Gavin had his right leg pressed up against Joseph’s left under the counter, a silent act of reassurance for the both of them. 

The alpha idly shoved a bit of broccoli into his mouth as he watched the omega out of the corner of his eye. It was a slow process, but he _was_ eating. 

_Thank Christ._

There were a thousand different things Joseph wished he could ask now that the two of them were having a down moment.

He wanted to know why they had to speed off from Elijah’s house. He wanted to know about Nines and why Gavin had been running from his boyfriend of all people. Had he been injured at all? Was his brother okay? Had Nines _hurt_ him? Alpha instincts were clearly still running high, that need to protect Gavin sitting heavy in the air around him.

There were a thousand different questions, but above all, Joseph wanted to know if Gavin was in any serious trouble and if there was anything he could do to help him. To help Nines too, if he needed it. To help them both.

They were his friends and after all, it was the reason he was here now, helping Gavin through his heat. 

A thousand different questions and he only knew half of the story. 

It was especially frustrating, because the man who knew all of the answers was sitting _right in front of him,_ but it just wasn’t fair to ask them now. It would just cause Gavin unnecessary distress in an already stressful situation, simply because he wouldn’t be able to understand.  
  
“Is it good?” Was all Joseph settled on asking instead. 

He watched Gavin shoot him a dazed smile around a mouthful of omelette and Joseph figured that was answer enough. He smiled gently back and they both returned their attention to their food, the only sound filling the silence for a few moments was the distinct clinking of cutlery before Gavin finally spoke up.  
  
“Jo-Joseph?”  
  
“Yeah, Gav?”

“Do… Do you know… what would go great in this omelette?” Gavin’s sentence came out muffled as he spoke around the food in his mouth. He then paused for a moment so he could swallow and Joseph took that as his cue to turn his head back towards him. “Those mushrooms that I have in my fridge.”

The two of them looked at each other before Joseph just started to laugh.  
  
“Hey, don’t laugh... I love mushroom omelettes and I’m telling you… they… they…” Gavin trailed off, his attention inexplicably being drawn elsewhere as he pushed some of the food around on his plate.  
  
Joseph settled down and watched as the man toyed with a mushroom using the tip of his fork. “You mean like those ones there?” He posed gently.  
  
He watched as Gavin’s face lit up.  
  
“Yeah! Exactly like these ones here! Oh, shit, wait... how the fuck did they get in here? Well… I don’t… If you ever make an omelette again…”  
  
“You want me to use the mushrooms in your fridge?”   
  
Gavin’s face scrunched up into a strange sort of sad confusion, it was pleading almost.  
  
“Y-yeah… _please?_ They’re good mushrooms, Joseph... I promise.”  
  
“Hey, it’s okay. They _are_ good mushrooms… Of course I will.”

That seemed to finally satisfy something in the omega and Joseph smiled kindly at him. 

After they both went back to eating, it took another twenty minutes before they were done and sitting on the couch in the living room; Joseph leaning back into a corner with Gavin snuggled up close, resting against his chest. 

They stayed like that for a while, the alpha idly running delicate patterns with his index finger on Gavin’s shoulder. 

Joseph had always liked the quieter moments in between, when it was just the two people holding each other close and finding some sense of comfortable normalcy; making the best of the situation in any way they could. 

His hand slowed to a stop as Gavin shifted on top of him so they were now face to face, two pairs of soft green eyes looking at one another as the omega slowly started to grind his hips against Joseph’s leg.

“J-Jos...” Gavin trailed off in an almost whine, biting at his bottom lip, his eyes fluttering closed as he continued to rub his steadily growing erection against the alpha below him. 

Sometimes the cycle broke for several hours whereas sometimes it was only one. But whenever it started again, the alpha was right there, ready to help with them.

A knowing smile spread across Joseph’s face as that distinct mating scent filled his nostrils and he carefully reached up with both his hands, gently framing Gavin’s face as his fingers splayed into the man’s hair. 

He rubbed a soothing thumb over a cheek as he met Gavin halfway with quickly heating kisses, their tongues wrapping themselves around each other as Joseph pulled himself up and gathered the omega into his arms.

His hands gripped tight at Gavin’s ass, kneading the soft flesh between his palms as Gavin linked his arms around Joseph’s neck and held him close. He didn’t want to break their contact, their messy kisses, as the alpha took them towards the bedroom.

  
  


****

  
  


_Gavin blinked._

_This didn’t feel right. Something felt off._

_He was standing in his apartment, still by the front door but a harsh white light was blaring in through the one window he had by his television. It drowned out the entire room, stung at his eyes and filled the room with a weird sort of haze._

_But this was normal, wasn’t it?_

_Nothing was wrong, nothing was-_

_He blinked again._

_He could just about make out a figure standing directly in front of the couch. The top half of them was bathed in that same weird haze-light; so much so, he couldn’t make out who it was._

_“Are you okay, Gavin?” They asked._

_He recognised that voice._

_Nines._

_Relief flooded through him, but it was short lived. The android’s voice was cracked, distorted and laced with a heavy static._

_Was that normal?_

_“Nines?” He called out._

_“I’m right here, Gavin.” Nines soothed._

_“Oh, thank God. I thought something had happened.”_

_Gavin took one tentative step forward, then another._ _  
__  
__“Everything is fine, I promise.”_

_He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his lips. Everything was okay. He wasn’t sure where the feeling had come from that it wasn’t. It didn’t matter because Nines was right there._

_Gavin stopped, carefully wrapping his arms around the body in front of him, hugging them tight to his chest, burying his face against the black fabric. He finally braved peering up, but he didn’t see Nines staring back down at him. It was Joseph, his green eyes unwavering and his face impassively neutral._

_“Where’s Nines?” Gavin couldn’t help the frown that flitted across his features._

_“What do you mean? Nines has never been here.” Allen responded._

_It felt like Gavin wanted to argue. Nines had been right there, he had heard him, but at the same time, what Joseph just said made perfect sense. It felt right, Nines hadn’t been there after all._

_A simple, “Oh, okay”, was all Gavin responded with. Everything was fine._

_He hugged Joseph tighter to his chest and felt as two strong arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders. “Let’s go to bed.”_

Everyone knew about heats on the surface. 

They were something an omega went through monthly outside of any external influence. That their mating scent, heat scent, whatever-the-fuck you wanted to call it, would trigger a corresponding heat in alphas. That they lasted for a week and betas could also see an omega through their heat, but they weren’t as affected as alphas were by the whole hormone thing.

Oh, and those with no secondary gender at all were just constantly wondering what the fuck was going on.

So yeah, those surface details, the kind of stuff that kids got taught at school during their sex-ed classes? Everyone fucking knew those. 

What people didn’t know were the things that only came with practice, with experience. 

That a heat involved a lot of patience and constant reassurance. That during the downtime, dealing with an omega was like dealing with someone who was drunk, but five times worse; no one told them about the highs and the lows, that clingy neediness that wrapped itself around their very bones and wouldn’t leave them alone. 

That a heat was a constant game, not just that, it was a constant week long battle. 

Nobody was told about how an omega would struggle to grasp even the most simple of requests, that something as basic as getting dressed sometimes became something akin to rocket science.

Nobody was told about how fucked an omega’s mind became; a constant haze, how their thoughts seemed to warp and distort, draw out and become something like honey, something sticky and difficult for them to wade through. 

Nobody was told about the fucked up heat induced dreams they could have. When their mind’s struggled to make sense of things, of things they felt as though they should know, or things they kept hidden deep down.

Nobody was told about those things.

The first day had probably been the easiest, once Joseph got Gavin back up into his apartment, it was only a matter of making sure he was fed and looked after. 

The days that followed were definitely more challenging; not from a biological standpoint, even though there were times when Joseph wondered how he was honestly keeping up with Gavin’s heat, but they were more challenging from a psychological standpoint.

Joseph knew what type of person Gavin was, hell, they hadn’t been friends long, but they got along like a house on fire. But taking an omega through a heat, however, was like finding out who they were all over again. 

Perhaps if it had been Nines, it would have been different, but it took a few days for Gavin to really come into himself and become completely comfortable. 

Halfway through his heat, they finally fell into their rhythm. 

Gavin gave as good as he got and it became this strange sort of dance. He’d push Joseph to the very limits, but then the alpha would keep him there, holding him at the very edge until Gavin finally relented, the omega bowing his head or baring his throat in an act of submission that was for as much himself as it was for Joseph. 

Every subsequent mark Joseph bit and sucked into Gavin’s flesh was for the both of them; it not only placating that possessive flame that sat in every alpha’s stomach, but also giving Gavin that feeling of belonging that he was quick to learn that the omega craved. 

On the fourth day, after they had fucked senseless in the living room and finally broken another cycle, Joseph plucked up enough courage to ask about the collar he’d only seen briefly in one of the man’s closets in his bedroom, back when he’d been prepping Gavin’s apartment.  
  
The alpha was sprawled out on the couch, Gavin lounging in his lap, the two of them still joined at the waist seeing as Joseph was still balls deep inside of him and would be for a while. 

He was lazily tracing shapes on Gavin’s skin just below his navel, fingers grazing his happy trail as they swirled round and round the sensitive flesh, his other arm was draped loosely around the man’s shoulders. Joseph wanted to keep him close without bearing too overbearing. 

The alpha leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the man’s hairline before he settled back down. 

“So… Gav…” He trailed off, his sentence getting lost in a yawn.

Fuck if he knew what time it was.

He wasn’t even sure if he’d be able to get a proper answer out of the man who was currently still blissed out in his lap. 

Joseph felt Gavin carefully entwine his fingers through the hand that was splayed on his upper chest, felt as Gavin rubbed a warm cheek against his arm. All he managed to get out the omega was a non-committal hum, the kind that sounded tired around the edges.

The alpha huffed out an amused breath through his nose as he pressed another kiss to his hairline. At the same, he rolled his hips so he could shift his knot that was still deep inside Gavin, shifted it so it brushed up against his prostate. 

Yet again, even just that tiny rock of his hips had the omega tensing up around him, earning him a moan that got caught deep in Gavin’s chest as he tipped his head back against him.

Joseph shifted them both, gathering Gavin more up in his arms so he could lean forward and rest his own head gently on the man’s shoulder. 

“You more awake?” He breathed out the question against Gavin’s skin and planted a soft kiss into the crook of the man’s neck. A small smile settled on his lips as he heard the omega breathe out a light laugh. 

“Mmm… I-I… Think so.”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Jos- Jo… Fuck! You feel… You... Fuck, that feels so good.”  
  
Joseph scraped his teeth along the sensitive flesh at the back of Gavin’s neck, purposefully avoiding his bondsite as he nipped at his nape. He heard the omega’s breath hitch in his throat before he carefully pressed his lips to Gavin’s skin.

“Yeah?”  
  
The alpha rolled his hips again just slightly and felt the omega’s hands squeeze tighter around his arms that were wrapped around Gavin’s waist.

“Ph-uck… Y-yeah.”

They stayed like that for a few minutes, Joseph pressed up against Gavin’s back, gently holding him close, the two of them just tangled up in each other’s embrace. 

“So... I’ve gotta ask...”

“Hm?”

“That… collar? In one of your closets?” 

“I… I’ve got one… y-yeah…”

The two of them laughed, light breathy sounds that eventually died down as that revelation sat between them. 

Joseph felt as Gavin slowly started to run a finger up and down the length of his arm; it was the type of action done by someone who was unsure on what to do with their hands, someone who was nervous.

“You okay?” The alpha broke the silence first and prayed that it was enough to show that whatever Gavin wanted to say was a perfectly acceptable thing to ask.

“C-can… Can- Can I wear it for you? _Please?”_

The way he asked had Joseph wondering if he’d ever asked anyone else before.

_“Sure.”_

There was a particularly deep bite mark that Joseph was especially proud of, one that he kept working so it would take a while to heal long after Gavin’s heat was over. When that collar was sat flush against Gavin’s neck, that dark purple bruise peeking out from under the black leather, it had a strange feeling settling in the alpha’s stomach.

Joseph had slipped on the collar and Gavin had let him and _fuck_ if that act of submission didn’t feed directly into that possessive alpha streak that was usually buried deep inside him. 

Fuck, Joseph couldn’t keep his hands off him.

Once Gavin entered into another cycle, as Joseph bent him over the couch, he slipped a thumb through that steel ring and slipped his fingers under the leather. One hand gently held onto the man’s throat and the other gripped tightly at Gavin’s hip as he fucked into him.

The last three days became a blur, one bout of mating merging into the next. 

It became a whirlwind of heated exchanges, a fine balancing act of pushing Gavin to the edge before Joseph brought him back every time. A fine act of give and take. But as it kept going, just when it seemed like there was no end, Gavin’s heat finally broke.

****

_Gavin wasn’t tired, but it felt right._ _  
__  
__“Yeah... Yeah, okay.”_

_He felt Joseph take the lead, guide him towards his bedroom with an outstretched hand. He guided him all the way to the foot of the bed before he stopped, watching as he clambered neatly into the middle._

_Gavin closed his eyes, felt how he was suddenly naked bar his boxers and he twisted his hands into the sheets, a weird anticipation settling in his gut._

_He waited and waited and waited, he wanted to open his eyes but he couldn’t._

_Not until he felt two strong legs either side of his body and two strong hands wrap themselves around his throat and start squeezing._

_Fucking squeezing._

_His eyes snapped open. Joseph had disappeared. It was Neil on top of him, dressed in a black button down and black dress pants, the man still even had on his shoes. He was just about to begin thrashing against the man’s body, try to escape, but a hard knee pressed down and dug into his belly. Gavin froze._

_Neil leaned down, his face barely an inch from his own._

_“Don’t struggle, Gavin. You want this and we both fucking know it.”_ _  
__  
__His voice didn’t fill Gavin with a dread like it used to. Instead, it felt… familiar. Natural. Like he wanted to hear it._

_One of the man’s thumbs forced itself into his mouth and his hands kept squeezing, Neil was right, he did want this._

_Blackness started to lick at the edges of Gavin’s vision as he wrapped his tongue around the thumb in his mouth._

_It felt right._

It had been a week and Joseph had seen him through to the end as he promised. 

The two of them were tangled up in Gavin’s bed, the alpha lazily jerking him off, the action alone being enough this time to quench the embers that were still lingering in the omega’s stomach before they both finally fell asleep. It was the first proper sleep they had in seven days. 

When they woke up the morning after, the air was heavy with a different type of expectation. Now that Gavin was finally out of the woods, now that he finally wasn’t going to die, it was now the time to talk and they both knew it. 

They faced each other in bed, Gavin averting his gaze by ducking his head after a few moments because he couldn’t stand the fucking scrutiny. Joseph just sighed and pulled the man into one last hug before he got himself out of bed.

He put on his boxers then pulled on a pair of sweatpants that Gavin had let him borrow before he slowly made his way to the door. 

Joseph lingered in the doorway for a second and as he did so, Gavin just fucking knew he was going to turn around and say something. So when he did, he wasn’t at all surprised.

“I’ll go figure out your coffee machine, make us both a cup… I- uh- Join whenever you’re ready.” He bolstered his words with a slightly sad smile, but the way he had spoken made it abundantly clear there was to be no debate over this.

The alpha waited until the omega just numbly nodded his understanding before he turned and made his way towards the kitchen.

Gavin just listened as his footsteps got more and more distant. He heard the far away sounds of ceramic on marble and just buried his head deeper into his pillow for five more minutes before he eventually pulled himself up and shuffled into his bathroom. 

He turned on the shower, letting it run so it could heat up and as he waited outside the walk-in unit, he eyed his reflection in the mirror.

The dark marks that littered his flesh didn’t fill him with the same sense of safety as they usually did, he felt a twang of something deep down in his stomach, but it just wasn’t quite the same. 

Gavin brought up his fingers and brushed them over a rather prominent mark on his collar bone, the slight sting at the contact made tears prick in the corners of eyes involuntarily and he blinked them back. There were even marks all along his torso, his gaze catching on a deep one that Joseph had managed to bite into his skin down one side of his ribs.

He just felt tired, he didn’t even bother to take off the collar that was still sitting flush around his neck before he hopped into the shower. 

The fact that Joseph had even managed to find it at all and somehow put it on him made a strange sense of pride settle into his very core, but that was short lived as Gavin quickly finished in the bathroom and pulled his own pair of sweatpants before he joined the alpha in the kitchen.

There was already a cup of coffee waiting for him on the breakfast bar and he just slid himself into one of the stools without saying a word. 

He gathered the mug into his hands, rubbing a thumb along the outside for a few moments before he brought it to his lips and took a gulp. After he set back down on the counter, only then did he brave looking Joseph in the face, the man had been patiently waiting since the moment he had sat down.

Waiting for Gavin to speak first.

What was happening with Neil, this wasn’t something he could hide from anymore.

The way that Joseph took a swig of his coffee as he leaned back against the kitchen counter before setting the mug down - it was all so measured and careful. It was so abundantly clear that he was waiting. Refusing to say a word until Gavin did.

Gavin didn’t know what it was, he just… started talking.

He explained _everything_. 

From what happened in the very beginning, right up to what happened at his birthday just over a week ago and in return, Joseph just listened silently to every word. It wasn’t until Gavin had said his piece that the man finally spoke up. 

He pushed himself up off the counter, crossing his arms as a strange expression settled on his features and Gavin could practically see the wheels turning in the man’s brain, trying to digest what he had just heard.

“Gavin… Jesus…” Joseph trailed off, his expression morphing from stoic leader to exasperated disbelief in seconds flat as his hands settled on his hips, “If I came at it with some twisted sense of logic, then yeah… Perhaps, perhaps I can see why but, Jesus Christ, man... How? How could you be so _fucking_ stupid?”

Gavin didn’t offer an excuse. In fact, he didn't offer any.

He just quietly agreed with every subsequent word and argument Joseph said. 

Perhaps it was the fact that Gavin wasn’t actively trying to justify what he had done. Perhaps it was the fact that he explained that he’d already seen Fowler, the Captain already offering enough of a reprimand for the two of them. 

If he didn’t bring Neil to justice, Gavin was very likely going to be terminated from the force, lose his job. The only sticking point was if it was going to be more of an indefinite suspension or a permanent discharge.

Perhaps it was hormones that were still lingering in the both of them, but as Joseph watched Gavin bow his head and avert his gaze, he found himself reigning in his anger.  
  
“You’re a fucking idiot.”  
  
“Yeah.”

All Gavin could do was watch as Joseph let out a harsh breath through his nose with a shake of his head as their eyes met. Still though, the alpha filled up Gavin’s empty coffee mug because he really was just that type of guy.

Joseph had a loyal streak in him that meant even though Gavin had been a fucking moron, they were still going to be friends and Gavin knew that damn well too, Joseph wouldn’t have seen him through his heat otherwise.

Once his mug was refilled, the alpha offered him a tired smile as he settled down on the stool beside him.

Before either of them could open their mouths and talk further, there was a knock at the door.

It wasn’t a soft sound. It was sounded like there was a weight behind it, the banging was deep and loud and it made the both of them fucking jump. 

They froze, looking each other in the eye before Joseph craned his neck so he could look at the door, but as quick as the banging was there, it disappeared. 

Joseph snapped his back to look at him and Gavin could see that sudden need to protect his omega flash through the man’s eyes. Maybe he could see the slightly fearful expression that sat on his face, but as Joseph stood, he gave his shoulder a quick squeeze. 

“ _Stay here_.”

Gavin for once, did what he was told. From where he was sat, he watched as Joseph strode to the door, the man shooting one last glance in his direction before he turned the handle.

He watched the way the alpha looked up and down the empty corridor before he noticed something at his feet. 

He only caught sight of the sleek, white delivery box after Joseph had bent down to scoop it up. It was a medium sized package and if the way Joseph was looking at it was anything to go by, then it was clearly lacking any identifiable marks. There was nothing besides the brand of the packaging that was sat neatly in a corner, in neon blue writing. 

The colour scheme may have started off as a CyberLife trademark, but it was quick to be adopted by other companies as there was something about the combination of the two colours that just... drove people to buy things.

Gavin watched the way Joseph straightened back out and if he wasn’t mistaken, it looked as though he was lingering by the door for a moment as though debating whether or not to check with another neighbour about who left the package.

It had a weird feeling settling into his gut.

The alpha decided against whatever he was thinking and instead slipped back inside, shutting the door behind him, the lock clicking in place. But the way his features were pulled into a frown only served to have that strange feeling in Gavin’s gut amplify.

With one last glance to the door, Joseph covered the distance that was between them and as the man got closer, Gavin could see that his frown was from where he was looking at the print scanner that was integrated perfectly into the box.

That meant only he’d be able to open it.

“It’s addressed to you.” Joseph’s voice pulled him from his thoughts and Gavin watched as the man set the package down onto the counter in front of them both.

Gavin's eyes drifted towards the print scanner for just a second before they settled on the writing that sat underneath.

**_F.A.O Gavin Reed_ **

He pulled himself up out of his chair, searching Joseph’s face for a second, as if he thought that the man could provide answers, but the alpha just shrugged. 

“Well, I haven’t exactly got a lot left to lose, so... Fuck it.” Gavin blurted out those words before he could stop himself. He jabbed his thumb against the scanner before his mind could catch up and tell him what a bad fucking idea all of this was.

The box slowly started to open in front of their eyes, panels sliding back and clicking into place and those dead milky-brown eyes that eventually stared out at them made Gavin’s heart shoot up into his throat. It got stuck there, making it so he couldn’t even suck in a shaky fucking breath.

Connor’s face was pulled into a silent scream, his mouth hung open and was frozen forever in a silent plea. 

It was Connor’s head. _Connor’s fucking head!_ _  
_  
Gavin eyed the cables that jutted out from the android’s neck, lying in a small puddle of blue blood and nausea settled in the pit of his stomach.

He couldn’t have been dead long. 

“Jesus _fucking_ Christ! That’s not-? It can’t be- Can it?” Joseph’s voice sounded small and barely there as the man spoke up from behind him. He was tripping over his own questions before they left his mouth. They had both seen their fair share of gruesome things given their jobs, but the nervousness in the Captain’s tone was unmissable.

It wasn’t exactly normal to get a fucking head delivered right at your door. Cop or not.

Gavin’s eyes roamed over the head in the box, his attention focusing on a small, blink-and-you-miss-it scar sitting neatly in the middle of the forehead.

Not Connor. _Thank fucking fuck._

It was his freaky fucking twin. What the fuck was his name? Cole? 

Sure, he didn’t exactly fucking like Connor and Gavin knew the android didn’t much care for him either, but he still felt a wave of relief wash over him when he saw that scar.  
  
That wasn’t actually something he thought he’d ever feel with regards to that fucking android but here he was, welcoming it with open fucking arms. 

“No…” Gavin’s sentence trailed off as a sequence of numbers popped into view in front of the android’s face. 

_**42.338699, -82.995125** _

They were coordinates.

What the _fuck_.

Joseph and Gavin exchanged a quick glance before the Captain pulled his phone from his pocket and unlocked it, handing it over. Gavin took it and wasted no time in punching in the numbers into a Google search.

The _one_ result that popped up made his stomach sink right through to the fucking floor.

_Jesus fucking Christ._

_No._

_Please, no._

Gavin felt like he was going to be fucking sick as his mind wildly pieced two and two together.

All he could do as he ran into his bedroom so he could pull on some clothes, was fucking _pray_ that he was wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed if you read, thank you for any kudos or comments and the next chapter is on it's way! <3


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The devil always collects his dues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've worked in a little nod to my girl Bones' fic "These Violent Delights" since she so very kindly worked Neil into the last chapter (we have a whole spin-off verse in our heads, don't ask)
> 
> If you love mafia aus with a sci-fi twist, [check it out!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21526309/chapters/51313501) (just heed the tags before reading)
> 
> All that said, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

He knew Neil wasn’t far behind him.

It had only been a matter of time before the man snapped over what happened with Gavin, over how he had managed to get away. After all, he was the one who was supposed to keep him there, but Elijah didn’t know what happened. 

A week ago, when Neil had moved in to spike Gavin, his grip had momentarily faltered and his brother had managed to escape. To be honest, Elijah was surprised the man hadn’t tried to make his move a lot sooner. 

Neil had said absolutely nothing after it happened, but Elijah could tell he was hanging on to his anger. The man’s face was blank, a mask, but Elijah could see it festering away beneath the surface, just building and fucking building as the week drew on. In a way, he was reminded of how a parent would get angry at a child; the fact that they’d leave it, then talk quietly in some condescending tone a few hours later.  
  
Except with Neil, a few hours later was a few days and that quiet type of rage when it came to those types of people was deadly. Elijah knew he had signed his own fucking death warrant.

He fumbled with the top drawer of his desk, hastily ripping it open, the Colt he kept there sliding into view as it clanked against the dark glass panel.

Elijah was in his office at CyberLife Tower, like he somehow thought that escaping there would make a difference. But, he already had a suitcase waiting by one of the numerous secret entrances to his office, the one that led up to the roof and his private helipad.

All he had to do was get there.

He took out his gun, placed it squarely in the middle of his desk so it was within easy reach before his eyes flickered back down to the drawer, them focusing on a sleek matte-black memory stick. 

_Amanda_. 

A self deprecating smile crossed his lips for a brief moment, he supposed that if he died, she’d be back in control of the company. He had shackled her inside a blackbox for what she had tried to plan with regards to the revolution and she had vowed her revenge. 

If Elijah didn’t leave, he’d end up in a black box six feet underground and the AI would truly have the last laugh. It would all come full circle. 

Funny how the world worked.

He snorted out a breath as his hands came to rest on the lip of the drawer, his right index finger tapping nervously against the glass the longer he stayed staring at the little stick drive. He debated chucking it to the ground, crushing it under his heel; it being one last petty, stubborn act of defiance over _his_ company, but he supposed that if he were to die, at least Amanda would have the ambition to steer CyberLife through the future.

Elijah shook his head, right hand slipping into his suit jacket pocket as he straightened back up, his thumb tapping against the little drive there. He had kept it on him ever since that day when Nines had been reset; it was the android’s memories and base programming, all backed up onto a little flash drive. 

It was supposed to be his insurance policy, his ‘get out of jail free card’ if things with Neil ever got too out of hand. Elijah would’ve taken it to Gavin and used it as a bargaining chip to ensure he managed to walk away from everything relatively scot-free. 

The distinctive click of a gun being cocked drew his attention.  
  
So many fucking plans and yet here he was, staring death in the face. 

His time was up.  
  
He gripped tight at the drive one last time, shaking his head in the process.  
  
Cole was aiming his Colt square between his eyes from just behind Neil’s right shoulder and Nines was standing at his left.  
  
Flanked by two RK units, hands in his pockets and a coolly disinterested expression on his face like all of this was beneath him; it was like Neil thought he was some untouchable fucking god as he stood there. But then again, maybe he was. 

After all, no one had stopped the man from building himself into one.  
  
You always reap what you sow and funnily enough, along came Neil. He was a lifetime of greed and selfishness personified into one hell of a karmic wake-up call.  
  
“You can fucking put it away, I’m not going anywhere.” The words had an impatient edge to them, but they still fell heavy from Elijah’s mouth as he spoke them.

Neil cocked his head to the side. Despite the way it was only a minute action, it was enough to both have Cole lower his gun and a silence to settle between the two men as they just studied one another.

They were like two wolves staring one another down. Waiting for the other to attack first.

Elijah decided to break their strange little game as he moved around to the front of his desk, leaning against it as he shoved his hands into his pockets and stretched out his legs. He sniffed in a breath as his expression turned hard. “Whatever grand speech you’ve got rehearsed, I don’t wanna fuckin’ hear it.”  
  
He wasn’t quite sure where this last bit of confidence came from, but Elijah had always known one thing when it came to his death, be it natural or otherwise, he had never wanted to go down without a fight.  
  
A petty asshole to the very last fucking breath. 

“But _you_ have something you so very clearly want to say, so fucking say it.” The calculated tone that Neil answered in made an irritation shoot up inside Elijah’s gut. 

_That quiet type of rage really was deadly._

Neil really was the parent and he was the child in this scenario, the man opposite him would keep his composure whilst he lost his in seconds flat. Elijah couldn’t fucking stand it. 

He was backed into a corner and Neil really held all of the cards, he always had. Elijah was beginning to realise that no matter how any of it played out, Neil would always have the upper hand.  
  
He wasn’t even allowed to go out on his own fucking terms and that made his irritation twist into a full blown anger. He was a fucking _alpha_ , he was supposed to be the one that was at the top of the food chain, the one that everyone bowed to and kissed the shoes of.

Elijah was supposed to be the walking God complex and yet, here he was, playing second fiddle to some middle-aged nobody.  
  
“Oh, _fuck you, Neil!”_ He spat, “You think you’re so fucking big. You… pull a few strings then think you fucking own Detroit like you’re some big fucking hotshot, like you’re some... untouchable boss-man playing gangster.” Elijah straightened himself back up, his eyes narrowing as he took stock of the man in front of him. 

If he was affected by his words, Neil didn’t show it.  
  
His face was unreadable and his body language seemed passive almost, like he was fucking bored with what Elijah was saying. The man’s shoulders were held straight, his posture was measured, everything seemed to be accentuated by the form fitting black suit he was wearing. 

His hands were even still in his goddamn fucking pockets. 

Elijah didn’t think he’d ever seen Neil out of the fucking things. 

“What? You think you can just… lean back, sip some whiskey at some fancy bar somewhere and just observe as the world fucking burns?” He paused again, waiting for the man opposite to say something, fucking _anything_ , but Neil just stood there.

Elijah watched as he tipped his head to the side slightly, those green eyes narrowing as they held his gaze and he only just now caught the glint in them.  
  
Neil’s face was vacant, but there was something dark in his eyes, something sadistic that constantly danced just below the surface. It made Elijah visibly swallow as the fear that suddenly gripped at his stomach made him falter. 

The alpha crossed his arms against his chest as if he thought the action would be enough to hide the fact that he was fucking terrified, his earlier confidence granted by his temper dropping away into nothing. But if Neil was wearing a fucking facade, so could he.

“I really don’t know how you’ve done it. How you’ve managed to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes and con them into believing that you can actually change people’s secondary gender.” Elijah shook his head slightly, his lips curling into a sneer as he huffed out a laugh.  
  
It quickly devolved into full blown laughter, like Elijah was trying to convince himself that those words were the funniest fucking thing he’d heard all day. But, they had to be. Elijah felt that if he couldn’t crack secondary gender all those years ago, then no one else even had the right to come close, least of all some non-gendered prick.  
  
He settled down, rearranging himself as he uncrossed his arms and smoothed down his suit, his arms coming to rest either side of him as he gripped at the desk with his hands.

“You’ve never fucking cared about other people, have you? All of this has always been about you, about how _you_ want to be an alpha, but even that… It’s just… It’s about your fucking obsession with my asshole of a half-brother now… Wow, _Gavin_ of all people.” 

What Elijah had said, he had wanted to say for a long fucking time.  
  
Knock the self proclaimed God off his pedestal, put a dent in the smug way Neil always seemed to carry himself, like he thought he was above everyone else he spent time with.

As he mentioned Gavin, he saw Neil’s right eye twitch ever so slightly and Elijah considered it the small victory he’d been after, his eyes narrowing.

He had been the one who was supposed to make sure that Gavin didn’t get away, but he wasn’t going to go down quietly.  
  
“You’re fucking nothing, Neil.” Elijah paused, turning so he could gather his Colt off his desk before he faced Neil once more. With his gun gripped in one hand, it resting in his lap with his other hand gently on top, Elijah felt the action finally gave him the last bit of confidence he felt he deserved. “You’re just some fucking nobody with no secondary gender and once all this is said and done, you’ll be dead in some hole in the ground and no one, fucking _no one_ , is going to remember your name.” 

As he finished speaking, he finally pulled himself up off his desk, straightening as he held out the gun and aimed it squarely at the man opposite.  
  
But, Elijah’s small victory was short lived.  
  
All Neil did was raise his brows momentarily at the action, the only indication that he had even listened to what Elijah had said at all. He then gathered himself up and slowly walked up to where Elijah was standing, coming to a stop so the muzzle of the gun pressed directly into his left shoulder. 

He gently took hold of Elijah’s right shoulder in his left hand, gripping it as he quickly shot the man a vacant smile as he leaned in close to his ear.

“Such big words… But do you want to know the difference between you and me?” There was a brief pause, one that the man fucking knew would further the impact of his words. Even in his hushed whisper, the tone Neil spoke with was unmissable. “I’m not a fucking _coward_ , Kamski.” 

Elijah felt Neil’s hand on his shoulder tighten and what happened next, happened too quickly to stop.  
  
Neil suddenly grabbed at the gun in his hand, moving it with such a force that he ripped it from his grip and whipped it across his face in one smooth action.  
  
Elijah wasn’t sure if he fell or if he was shoved, but he found himself on his knees as the blows kept coming, Neil moving his hand from his shoulder into his hair instead so he could continue to punch the butt of the pistol into his face.  
  
For a few minutes, the only sound that broke the silence was the distinct sound of metal colliding against flesh, it going wet around the edges as blood slowly started to pour down Elijah’s face, but Neil didn’t stop.

Elijah’s nose was broken, but Neil didn’t stop. 

There was a split being beaten in his lip, one into his nose, some into his cheeks and even one into his eyebrow, but Neil didn’t stop. 

Elijah could feel blood pooling in his mouth from where a tooth had been knocked loose, but Neil didn’t fucking stop.  
  
The blows just kept coming.  
  
Blood slowly clouded his vision as it trickled into his eyes and the last thing Elijah managed to focus on before he was allowed to drop to the floor were a few droplets of his own fucking blood that sat on Neil’s cheek.

His face burned as he laid broken, every nerve ending feeling like it was on fire. His tongue briefly poked around in his mouth and he could feel where the tooth had been knocked loose. 

Despite the beating, Elijah still managed to pull his face into a smile as he wheezed in a breath, holding it for a moment before he started to choke on the blood in his mouth. He devolved into a coughing fit, it gurgling around the edges as he gathered the blood in his mouth before he spat it out onto the pristine white tile below him, the tooth sitting proudly in the middle.

Neil watched his every move, his eyes narrowing as his grip tightened on Elijah’s Colt that he still had in his hand. It was covered in his blood, it slowly dripping onto the floor below and began to make a little puddle by his left shoe. 

Elijah was reminded of a shark.  
  
He was the wounded prey and Neil was circling.  
  
And there literally was fucking blood in the water, so it was only a matter of time.  
  
He watched as Neil brought up his free hand, the man swiping away the few flecks of blood that had landed on his cheek with his thumb before they could slip any further down his face.  
  
Neil just stood there, creepily quiet, clearly waiting for Elijah to make a move, almost like he knew that despite being mere minutes away from dying, that Elijah wasn’t done and had more left to say.  
  
That thought made yet another laugh form in the back of Elijah’s throat. All he could do was laugh, because he hated the fact that the man who was standing opposite, had him so clearly figured out. 

But Elijah supposed it had always been that way from the very beginning.  
  
Neil had been the one to get under his skin without even trying and it was always a humbling thing to get a taste of your own fucking medicine. It sat like a bitter taste in his mouth and all Elijah could do as he pulled himself up so he could kneel on the floor, was shake his head as his laughter quickly died in his throat. 

His face pulled into a wince as he spat more blood out onto the tiles, cocking his head to side because he knew it wasn't worth the hassle of spitting it out onto the man in front of him. Elijah settled back down onto his haunches and it was only then the reality finally seemed to catch up with him. 

Fatigue settled over him in a wave as he slowly peered up into Neil’s eyes, just that action alone showed how exhausted he was becoming.  
  
“It… it was never about changing your secondary gender, was it? Not since you fucking got my brother stuck your head…” Elijah trailed off as realisation settled in his gut. All the families the man had courted, his mother, they were all fucking dead the moment they had stepped into their very first meeting with him all those months ago. 

A look of confused disgust crossed his features, it was still clearly visible even though Elijah’s face was a broken mess and his mouth curled despite the pain that stung at his lips. “Why? Why Gavin? What the fuck has my cunt of a half-brother done for you to do all of this?!”  
  
That was the one thing Elijah couldn’t wrap his head around.  
  
Why someone like Gavin, why a fucking _omega_ of all people, could spur someone to go on an irreversible rampage. Eijah’s disgust bubbled away into a strange sound in the back of his throat, another wave of realisation crashing through him and the sound died as he shook his head briefly before he glared up at Neil.  
  
“Oh, don’t tell me... You fucking love him, is that it?”  
  
Elijah could tell he was dancing closer and closer to the edge the more he brought up Gavin, he could see it in Neil’s eyes, but he didn’t fucking care. If he was going to die anyway, he might as well get the last fucking laugh. Might as well rub Neil the wrong way while he still can.

He was so sure that Neil was going to close the distance between them, he could feel that electric spark in the air, could see the measured constraint the man held himself with, the way his eyes had narrowed so fucking quickly as he spoke and Elijah so fucking wished Neil would just lash out.  
  
Beat him until he couldn’t fucking stand straight, put the gun to his head and pull the fucking trigger, just fucking end it, but the man didn’t do a fucking thing. All he did was stand there.  
  
Seconds seemed to turn into minutes.  
  
The man managed to make time draw out, it amplifying the sheer power he carried himself with, amplifying the natural gravitas that surrounded him and perhaps, deep down, that was what got Elijah so fucking angry.  
  
Not that Neil was obsessed with Gavin of all people, but the fact that Neil had all this fucking power, all the power _he_ should have, the power Elijah felt he was fucking owed, without even trying. 

The fact that both Cole and Nines were still standing by the entrance, silently waiting for his word before they even dared to move. The fact that Neil had barely said more than two fucking sentences, yet had managed to shape the entire exchange.  
  
The fact that he was on his knees, losing his temper as he was staring death in the face and all Neil had done was keep his ever so cool composure the entire time.  
  
Elijah fucking hated all of it because everything Neil had should have been his.

His temper shot up in him and it curled his face into a snarl. “Just do it, Neil! Kill me... Just fucking kill me you fucking piece of shit!” Elijah put his heart into those words and both men knew it.

It was one last plea, one last ditch attempt by a man who thought he was a god at trying to set the stage of his own demise. Trying to set the terms, but Neil wouldn’t let him.  
  
Instead, Elijah watched as he silently moved past him, Neil’s attention being inexplicably drawn to the window that sat just behind his desk. It was floor to ceiling, giving the perfect overview of the city skyline, Detroit going about it’s morning routine like it didn’t have a care in the world that one of its most famous sons was having one last dance with the devil. 

Neil’s hand came to rest on top of the headrest of Elijah’s desk chair, gripping the soft leather for just a moment as his eyes seemed to focus on a particular section of the docks. After a second, the harsh sound of metal clanking against glass broke the silence as Neil set the gun in his hand down smoothly on the table.  
  
He then reached into his jacket, got out a packet of cigarettes and pulled one out with nimble fingers, placing it so it dangled loosely between his lips. 

Neil sat in Elijah’s chair, leaning back as he sparked up his flip lighter, the shiny engraved black metal managing to catch the dim neon lights from the city for just a moment before he shoved it back in his pocket.  
  
He took a deep drag before he took the cigarette from his lips, holding it loosely in his right hand, his arm draped over and hanging off the rest. It was only then Neil seemed to realise that his left was still covered in Elijah’s blood, but he still scratched at the corner of his eye with his pinkie.

Neil sniffed in a harsh breath as he brought down his hand, rubbing at his index finger with his thumb and his expression curled with disgust as he felt how tacky the blood was slowly getting.

He stretched out his legs, crossing one over the other as he turned and took in the city and throughout all of this, Cole and Nines still hadn’t moved from where they were standing. It was only when Neil took a second drag from his cigarette that Cole even thought about moving, the android removing his suit jacket and rolling up his sleeves.

“I’m not going to kill you, Kamski... I promised you to Cole and I _always_ keep my word-”  
  
Neil wasn’t even watching as he spoke and Elijah was frozen in place as Cole walked up to him.  
  
“-Surely you must know that violent delights have violent ends? Actions always have consequences and yours? All they’ve fucking done is finally caught up.”  
  
Elijah closed his eyes as Cole stopped in front of him. His heart hammered in his chest and his blood thundered in his ears, he thought was prepared for this, but it turns out he was fucking terrified. 

“It’s something your brother is also going to learn… You asked me if I love him and I do…” 

Cole balled up Elijah’s shirt collar in his hands and dragged him up to his feet.  
  
“I love him in the same way you would love the runt of a litter, Kamski... With pity, but at least I fucking do.”  
  
That moment drew out, Cole waiting and fucking waiting until Neil gave the word and it was only after the man took another drag of his cigarette, silently flicking his hand so Cole could see it, did the android get to work.

  
****

  
  


It was twenty minutes before the sounds of Elijah’s screams eventually died away, either because the man was too tired or his throat was too hoarse. Whatever the reason, when the silence was unbroken, only then did Neil turn back to look at the commotion. His cigarette had long since been smoked to the filter, stubbed out and flicked to the floor.

He had specifically asked for the man to be left relatively in-tact, because he wanted to stage his corpse to send a message and Cole had followed his wishes. _Mostly._ But Neil could see that the android had gotten a knife from somewhere on his person. 

There were gashes all along Elijah’s abdomen, he could see blood was soaking through his shirt and there was a particularly deep wound that had been worked into his shoulder, the hilt of the knife still visible from where it’d been left. 

One of the man’s arms was broken and Neil was pretty sure one of his legs was too.

He watched Elijah struggle against Cole’s body as he held the man in a headlock, almost like the android couldn’t decide if he wanted to strangle Elijah to death or snap his neck. 

Cole held him there, Elijah’s actions growing more and more laborious, the intervals of him smacking his uninjured arm against the stiff body that held him captive growing longer and fucking longer as the seconds ticked by. 

Then, in one swift motion, Cole snapped the man’s neck like it was nothing more than a piece of brittle wood.  
  
It was all over in the blink of an eye.  
  
As Cole shoved Elijah’s lifeless body to the floor, Neil saw the look of sheer unadulterated pleasure that seemed to wash over his features. The content happiness that flittered over his face in a blink-and-you-miss it moment, but Neil caught it.  
  
It was the most animated Neil had seen his partner in all the time he had known him.  
  
His eyes narrowed as he watched Cole savour his moment, but Neil knew what was coming next. Now that Elijah was dead, there was nothing from keeping Cole from turning around and doing the same to him.  
  
The android hated him just as much he hated Cole. They had always hated each other, their partnership was only one of convenience.  
  
Cole’s eyes finally focused on him, but Neil wasn’t worried as they shared a silent moment. He was two steps ahead. He always was.  
  
As the android fixed his attention on him, Cole had failed to notice that Nines had moved so he was standing just behind him. And as Cole went to move, two strong arms wrapped themselves around him, holding him in a headlock like he had done to Elijah only a few moments earlier.  
  
Neil couldn’t help the proudly sadistic smirk that curled his lips as he watched realisation sweep over Cole’s face.

There was a reason why Neil had waited for a week before he made his move. There was a reason why he had only targeted Elijah. There was a reason why he’d brought Nines with him and there was a reason why Cole was going to die.  
  
Always two steps ahead. 

Neil pulled himself up out of the chair, wrapping his hand around the Colt on the desk, moving it with him as he walked, the metal dragging against the glass before he properly wrapped his hand around the grip.

It was weighted perfectly, Elijah didn’t know a fucking thing about whiskey, but it seemed like he knew his guns. It would be a shame to leave it behind. 

Neil didn’t break eye contact as he flicked on the safety and tucked the pistol neatly into the back of his pants. He didn’t break eye contact as he slipped his hands into his pockets, clearly not bothered anymore by Elijah's blood. He didn’t break eye contact as he almost sauntered up to where the two androids were standing.

He stopped directly in front of Cole, his green eyes studying. _Always fucking studying_. They darted over the android’s face, taking in every detail they could before they hardened into a glare. 

Neil finally stepped back, his face expressionless as he moved past them both.  
  
“Ten minutes, Nines. Scrub everything down and don’t forget the fucking message. You know what to do afterwards.” He called out as he walked towards the exit. 

The sound of his shoes clicking against the tiles grew more and more distant as he left Nines behind to work and besides, Cole wasn’t worth anymore attention.  
  
There was a reason why he had waited, just like there was a reason to everything to everything he did.

It had been a week, so that meant Gavin’s heat would be over and Neil fucking _wanted_ the man to investigate his own brother’s murder.

There was a reason Neil had gone after Elijah whilst hanging on to their mother because Gavin was going to have one last fucking chance to come to his senses.

****

  
  


Belle Isle. 

Gavin couldn’t fucking believe it when he had punched in those coordinates literally twenty minutes ago. He changed into mostly clean clothes, had hastily thrown on his jacket and all but thrown himself into his car once he got down to the parking garage, Captain Allen following closely behind. 

After hastily explaining the situation, he had stuck on his siren and now they were weaving in and out of traffic, only five minutes away from CyberLife Tower.  
  
In the back of his mind, Gavin couldn’t help but feel a sense of deja-vu, but fuck if he had the time to process. He never had the time to fucking process lately. Perhaps that was a good thing. If he sat down and took the time to _really_ fucking think about everything that had happened, he’d have a fucking breakdown. 

Gavin supposed that he was just delaying the inevitable. He could feel the cracks forming and it was only a matter of time before everything came crashing down.  
  
He gripped tighter at the steering wheel as those thoughts built and fucking built in his head.

“Fowler’s up to speed. He said you’re to defer to Hank and Connor once they arrive…” Joseph trailed off as he braced himself in the passenger seat as they sped through a stop light, “You’re one hundred percent sure about this?” His eyes flickered quickly over to Gavin as he slipped his phone back into his pocket.

“I’m fucking sure, Joseph!” The omega bit back, unable to help the irritation that soured his tone.

The alpha held his gaze for a moment and the change in Gavin’s body language was instant. He relaxed, shuffling in his seat and he quickly focused his attention back on the road as he faltered slightly. 

_“Sorry.”_

That simple word fell quietly from his lips so easily because it was genuine. 

With everything geared to eleven, Gavin wasn’t actively trying to fight against that itch that crept beneath his skin, the one that always told him to act the omega that he was supposed to be.  
  
Either that or he was really starting to turn corners.

“I just want to make sure you’ve thought this through.” Joseph’s words, whilst not exactly comforting, were devoid of too harsh a judgment.   
  
But Gavin knew Neil, so he knew he wasn’t wrong about this.  
  
He knew what they’d likely find once they got there. Elijah fucking de-

_“I’m here.”_

Joseph’s words almost made him flinch. 

Just because Gavin was sure didn’t mean he was fucking prepared to face the reality of it all. It was like that simple phrase being spoken into existence all but confirmed it.

He tapped his thumb lightly against the steering wheel, a tiny throwaway action that betrayed the quickly building nerves in the pit of his stomach. 

_His fucking brother._

His brother, that despite everything the man had done, Gavin still thought of as the only family he had fucking left. He shot a curt smile at Joseph, but couldn’t help the tears that pricked in the corners of his eyes as his thoughts fucking swirled around in his head

Gavin swallowed down the lump that had formed in his throat, covering his spiraling feelings with a thick cough. “I- Thanks.”

A silence settled over them both and as CyberLife Tower got closer, Gavin managed to bury his sadness, but couldn’t help as his thoughts wandered back to when he’d last seen his brother. 

He remembered how Elijah had fucking gripped and held him there as Neil had walked closer. He remembered what Neil had fucking said, that his brother was basically responsible for Red Ice.  
  
It took everything in Gavin for Neil’s words to not start playing on a goddamn loop in his head. He knew better than to trust a single word that came out of that man’s mouth, but when Neil had said that a week ago, Gavin had gotten the distinct feeling he wasn’t lying.

His nerves twisted sour in his stomach and his sadness quickly morphed into an almost shameful anger.  
  
Elijah was fucking responsible for the drug epidemic that had ripped through the whole city and crippled entire communities. Since Red Ice also doubled as almost every fucking heat mimicker going, Elijah was to fucking blame for that too. 

If they got to CyberLife Tower and they did indeed find Elijah dead, Gavin couldn’t help but wonder how he’d react.  
  
He liked to think that he’d be sad, that he’d be fucking devistated. For everything they’d been through, Elijah was still family. 

After all, there was that age-old notion that blood was supposed to be thicker than water, but the more he let that anger take hold, the more he fucking thought about everything, Gavin couldn’t help but listen to that little dark thought in the back of his mind that was whispering to him that Elijah deserved it. 

For all the pain he’d caused Gavin in his childhood, for all of the posturing, for all of the hollow niceties when he was really just like every other alpha going. For making Red Ice, for ultimately being responsible for his changed heats. For being a piece of fucking shit.  
  
_Elijah deserved it._

“-vin? Gavin?” Joseph’s voice finally broke through his thoughts and Gavin faltered as he came back into himself.  
  
He didn’t realise that he’d been gripping the steering wheel tighter and tighter, so much that his knuckles had slowly been turning white, his mind almost on autopilot as he’d been driving.

The omega blinked back the tears that were back in his eyes as he turned onto the bridge that ran to Belle Isle and Gavin ticked his head to the side to look at the alpha beside him. His eyes were glassy as he shot Joseph an overly vacant and fake smile, but the man saw right through it with just a look alone. “You okay?” 

Gavin hated being so much of an easy read, but Joseph’s words were the focal point he needed. The lifeline he could cling onto before he lost himself in the storm, pulling himself back before he could let those thoughts consume him

He turned his attention back to the road, but visibly relaxed the line of his shoulders as he took a deep breath and his eyes fluttered shut for just a moment. When he opened them again, the actions weren’t much, but he felt more inclined to answer and with the truth.  
  
“Not really, Joseph... no.” There was no stumbling over his words this time.

Gavin braved looking the alpha in the face and the tired yet understanding smile that he was met with when he felt he deserved so much worse soothed him in ways he was loathed to admit.

Joseph should have walked out on him after what happened only thirty minutes ago, when Gavin had told him everything back at his apartment, but here the man was, riding fucking shotgun into a shit show.

After everything, Joseph still cared because the man was his friend, fuck knows why.  
  
_You deserve a hell of a lot worse, Gavin and you fucking know it. You’re as much a piece of shit as Elijah is._

There was that voice deep down again, the one he hadn’t heard in a while. 

Gavin fucking knew that his friends cared, he knew Joseph cared because they all cared for the man he used to be. The one Gavin thought he still knew how to be, but as that voice in his head curled around his insides and settled into his bones, he wasn’t so sure anymore.  
  
That was the thing about not being able to process, it was slowly turning him into a blank slate. All the fucking years Gavin thought he had known himself were all slowly crashing down around his head. Neil really was tearing him down brick by fucking brick, but was it really his fault? 

After all, no one had forced him to text Neil, Gavin had done that all by himself.  
  
“That’s okay.” There was Joseph’s voice again.  
  
It was like the man really was a mind reader. Those softly spoken words being another step out of the darkness that threatened to pull him under and Gavin rearranged himself as CyberLife Tower grew steadily larger in front of them.

For the first time, he actively felt like he was at a crossroads, a turning point.

Either he could rise to the occasion; confront everything he’d been running from, stop letting his past trauma shape his life and move forward, fully accepting the rightful burdens of his actions. Or, he could stay trapped in an endless cycle, where he’d stay forever, blaming everyone but himself. 

Neil had his claws in him and one foot in the grave, but Gavin still had time to push back. 

Gavin still had the time to be the man everyone thought he was.

To be the man that had sat at the bar with his friends a week ago. To be the man who fucking had a soft spot for horror games and loved his cat. 

To be Gavin fucking Reed, an omega and everything that entailed.

To be better.

He was grateful that Joseph didn’t push the subject further, that little exchange being enough for them both and as they caught sight of the commotion outside of the Tower, the two of them shot each other a look. 

There was a small throng of reporters already gathered outside the building, more arriving by the second and as soon as Gavin pulled up, cutting the engine and switching off the siren, his car was instantly surrounded.

Either they weren’t the first ones on the scene or the press had received a fucking tip off.

Before he could move, Joseph tapped his shoulder and once he had Gavin’s attention, he motioned to his neck. A slight blush crept over Gavin’s cheeks as he realised he still had his fucking collar on. 

Once they had gotten those coordinates earlier, the two of them had quite literally just thrown on some clothes and ran down to Gavin’s car. Hell, Gavin didn’t even have the time to take any antidepressants for post-heat drop just in case, not that he thought they fucking worked the last time he took them, anyway. 

Gavin ducked his head as mumbled out a quick, ‘thanks’, fumbling with the buckle on the back of his neck as he did and once it was undone, he ripped the thing off his neck. He reached over and chucked it into the glove compartment, swapping it for two pairs of blue evidence gloves he pulled from the stash he kept there. He held out one for Joseph, shooting the man a small, tired smile as he took them, then Gavin straightened himself back up.  
  
He shoved his own into his jacket pocket before he popped the flip down sun visor, taking a quick glance in the mirror and now that his neck wasn’t covered by a thick leather collar, the marks that Joseph had bitten into his flesh over the course of the last week were even more on display.

For once though, Gavin’s mind wasn’t running a mile a minute, fixating on how other people would react to the obvious information he couldn’t do anything about. After everything, he was just tired, too tired to worry over something he couldn’t fucking change and besides, there were more important things to think about.  
  
Shame it had taken him this long to start figuring that out. 

As Gavin reached over and opened the door, he pushed all of his personal feelings aside as he got out of the car, Joseph quickly following suit.

They were on the clock and they had a job to do. 

Gavin had seen his fair share of press mobs, but never one with this much fervor, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. Maybe it was that giddy expectation that came with the fact that they were all here for the same thing or maybe it was because as soon as he stepped out of the car, Gavin could have sworn he felt the air shift.

A jolt of recognition ran through the entire press group like a ripple through an ocean. 

If the press got involved, it was expected that they’d mob any police officer involved in an active case, but as CyberLife security rushed forward to establish a perimeter, Gavin could have sworn he heard shouts of _his_ name, that the reporters were vying for his personal attention. 

Now his mind was really playing fucking tricks on him, nevermind having an almost breakdown then a complete 180 in the car. 

_Why the fuck would the press be calling my name?_

As the commotion started to get too much, the voices garbling together so the shouting became a loud and indistinguishable wall of noise, Gavin shuffled closer to Joseph, a tiny subconscious act. He was desperately seeking out any tiny form of reassurance he could and he felt stupid for doing it, but when he felt the alpha move closer, it immediately settled his nerves.   
  
“We only called you guys five minutes ago! We didn’t realise you’d be so, uh... _quick._ ” A guard shouted above the commotion as both groups met each other halfway.  
  
“We were only five minutes out.” Gavin lied.

The man looked like he wanted to open his mouth and argue, but ultimately decided against it and just shrugged his shoulders. “Rather you than me dealing with this shitshow! You’ll need to register at the desk and then take the elevator up to floor forty three, then you’ll need to take the stairs up one more floor.”

He lead them towards the entrance and Gavin had to push down the need to scoff and shake his head like he hadn’t been through these motions a hundred fucking times before. Like he didn’t know where Elijah’s office was because his brother had fucking boasted about being a CEO with a big office enough fucking times. 

The guard stopped by the large doors, hands settling on his hips and Gavin shot him a look as they made their way into the building. “When more of you get here, we’ll show them up.”  
  
“Appreciate it.” Joseph answered for them, giving a curt nod of his head.

The two of them made their way towards the reception desk and after a few minutes, they were all signed in and making their way briskly towards the elevator.

Time seemed to blur together. 

Their elevator ride was over in the blink of an eye and it was only when they had climbed the stairwell and were almost at Elijah’s office that Joseph broke the silence.  
  
He reached forward with a hand, placing it strong on Gavin’s shoulder and stopped him in his tracks before they could walk past security that had posted themselves at the entrance. 

“I’ll stay with you until Hank and Connor get here and then I gotta get to the station.” His voice was nothing but calm but Gavin couldn’t help the irritation that twisted his gut at the sudden interruption as he turned to face him. He just wanted to get in there and face whatever Neil had done.

His own personal feelings were in no way Joseph’s fault, he knew the man was only being concerned and following protocol. After all, he was a SWAT Captain, they didn’t usually deal with murder investigations, so technically, Joseph didn’t even have to be there at all. 

Gavin quickly swallowed down his irritation as he realised that the man was here as a fucking friend and he numbly nodded his understanding. 

Joseph gave his shoulder a quick squeeze before he let go and pulled on the evidence gloves Gavin had given him earlier, the alpha shooting him a puzzled look before he softened his expression when he realised the omega was staring. “You ready?”

The very sudden realisation that he’d be going in there partnerless crashed through Gavin like a freight train. His gaze lingered on the man’s hands for just a second longer before he pulled himself from his thoughts. Those blue gloves suited Joseph, Gavin wished he could stay. 

He fucking missed Nines.  
  
“I- yeah… Let’s just get this out of the way.” Gavin’s voice sounded heavy as he spoke.  
  
They both knew it was a lie. How the fuck do you get ready to face the murder of a family member? You don’t. They shared one last look, Gavin pulling on his own gloves and steeling his jaw before Joseph let him take the lead as the two of them made their way into Elijah’s office.

_How do you get ready to face the murder of a family member?_

His brother’s office had been designed in such a way that it drew attention to the center of the room. Its tall white walls blending seamlessly into expansive floor to ceiling windows at the far end of the room that overlooked the city, all focusing attention on the big sleek black desk that sat directly in the middle. 

An office made for a man with an ego. An alpha.

_You don’t._

It focused attention to the two corpses staged by the desk without even trying.

First, they focused on the headless android corpse propped up on the floor against one of the legs. Gavin forced himself to focus on Cole’s body as they walked closer. 

Blue blood had soaked into his shirt, the once white fabric was now a vivid, neon blue and the black handle of a butterfly knife that had been plunged into the android’s stomach stood out proudly against such a bright colour.

Even in standard androids, plastimetal was built to last, so there was no doubt that Nines was the only one who could have killed him. 

That realisation made a sick feeling curl around Gavin’s stomach. 

The longer Neil had Nines by his side, the harder it would be to detach his partner from anything he’d do whilst reset. Gavin wasn’t even sure how the law operated in that regard. Was Nines now a new person? Could they even save him and restore his memories? If they did, could he be held accountable for the actions he’d done whilst under Neil’s influence?

Could he be held accountable for murder?

_“Jesus Christ.”_

Joseph’s voice drew Gavin from his thoughts and as he focused on the one thing he really didn’t want to see, he could see why the man sounded so distressed. 

Elijah’s face was barely recognisable.

Gavin’s world sped up and slowed down all at once. 

A wave of nausea crashed into him, but the numb stillness of denial managed to keep it at bay as he studied the scene with a sense of detachment. 

It was the only thing he could do.  
  
Elijah was slumped in his desk chair, gashes visible all along his arms, one of them was clearly broken. His shirt was a deep crimson, there was a particularly nasty wound in his shoulder and the cuts that had been worked into his abdomen managed to make Gavin’s stomach twist into knots. 

There was a strange ringing in his head, a tinnitus like sound that kept building the longer he looked at his brother’s corpse and when those words, that message popped up in that distinctive CyberLife Sans font, it glitching and warping across Elijah’s chest, all Gavin could was close his eyes for a moment. 

Like if he closed them, the words would disappear and when he opened them again, wouldn’t be there. But, when he opened his eyes, they were still there, mocking him.

**I’VE DONE THIS FOR YOU.**

_I’ve done this for you._


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The devil doesn't come dressed in a red cape and pointy horns.  
> He comes as everything you've ever wished for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things get pretty brutal in this chapter after the page break, so just a heads up.  
> Also, bare in mind as you come to the end, there is *still* one chapter left.
> 
> And for Bones; my beta, my motivation to get this fic done time and time again -  
> I've always promised you another Outlast fic, but perhaps Neil and Bloodlines will do instead <3

_"Cut out my tongue, there is nothing to save_ _  
__Love me, oh Lord_ _  
__He threw me away_ _  
__He laughed at my sins, in his arms I must stay"  
'What he Wrote' - Laura Marling _

  
  


_“We understand that Elijah Kamski, the founder and current CEO of CyberLife has been murdered. The exact motive and reason for his murder is unclear at this time, but various news outlets have been sent information from an anonymous source that may connect his death to the Red Ice pandemic.”_

_“I can’t imagine being Elijah Kamski’s half-brother right now...Your brother has been murdered, not only that, but it turns out he’s responsible for the creation of both Red Ice and heat mimickers as we know them today, all of them made from a vial of some crappily made mimicker you gave him when you were sixteen! Sixteen! Can you fucking imagine?! Now, look... I’m not pinning the blame on anyone, but if I were this Gavin Reed guy? I'd want to take down the man responsible for something that negatively affects both me and my entire secondary gender. Hell, not even that, Elijah was someone who was supposed to be family and he would have ultimately broken my trust, y’know?! I don't know about you, Sally, but that seems to be a pretty credible motive for murder if you ask me. So what I really want to know is, why is the DPD letting Gavin Reed investigate this tragic murder when he should really be getting taken in for questioning?! That's what I don't understand."_

_“His death is already throwing the business and tech world into turmoil. CyberLife and LifeLine stocks have been fluctuating all morning and until a new CEO is named, they’ll likely continue in a downward curve. Markets like stability, we saw this after Amanda Stern was outed shortly after the android revolution and now the board has the same exact crisis on their hands, but who do they instate? Does his family get a say? Does this previously unknown half-brother get to stake a claim? Can you imagine an omega offering advice over how to pick a CEO for the most successful company in North America? I know Elijah Kamski was big on trying to push forward gender equality on paper, but that would make CyberLife a laughing stock within certain circles.”_

_“Now that Elijah Kamski is dead, this is what we have to ask ourselves; what does this do for his legacy? After all, he was Detroit’s most beloved son. He had built an image for himself of someone who, on the surface at least, cared about secondary gender equality. The man prided himself on having a forward thinking workplace, prided himself on being a philanthropist for omega related causes. Now that this connection between him and Red Ice has come to light, how much of that can we truly believe? Does Beaumont Hospital need to rename its entire south wing and hand back the money it's received through CyberLife’s outreach program? What about the countless other omega related projects that program has supported? That his name is connected to? Elijah Kamski has an omega half-brother he told absolutely no one about… If he was that ashamed of his own blood, how can we in good faith take any of his outward acts concerning secondary gender as genuine?”_

Neil had leaked information to the press. 

How he had gotten the information didn’t matter, but that morning when Elijah was killed, before the police had even been notified, the media were already aware and running stories. Running opinion pieces on the man like he’d been dead for months instead of just a few hours. 

_That_ was why the press were shouting Gavin’s name when he had arrived at CyberLife Tower. Neil leaking the details about Kamski and him being related was just one more fucking thing the man had in his repitoire that he could use to make Gavin’s life even more complicated; push him into doing something stupid.

However, when Hank and Connor arrived on the scene, they promptly directed Gavin back to the station. ‘Captain’s orders’ they had said. 

And Fowler was right to call him in.

That was how Gavin currently found himself sitting in the man’s office, next to Joseph, windows tinted to avoid the damning stares coming from the bullpen. 

The captain was leaning back in his chair, a datapad in hand, intently taking in the information that was scrolling by. 

There was a silence between them as Fowler continued to read and it was only when the man let out a hard sigh after a few minutes that he put it down, fixing Gavin and Joseph with a glare. The pad was still receiving live updates from the crime scene at CyberLife, images and text continuing to flicker over the screen.

“Blunt force trauma to his face, multiple lacerations to his torso and stomach, a broken arm and leg and that’s not covering the fact that post-mortem he was force fed so much Red Ice that it’s basically visible at the back of his throat because we think it’s filled up his stomach and esophagus…” Fowler trailed off, his gaze wandering as he focused on a space behind them. 

Gavin shifted in his seat and the action pulled the captain from his thoughts, the man’s face seeming to flash through the five stages of grief all at once before it finally settled into an almost exasperated acceptance.

“Reed... What the fuck were you thinking going to that crime scene?!” The disbelief in his tone was unmissable.

Gavin didn’t answer, he simply just hung his head. 

“Have you got anymore fucking secrets you would like to share?! Are you going to tell me that your father was Elvis fucking Presley or are you good?!”  
  
“I’m good.”

Gavin never thought the previously undisclosed information of him and Elijah being related would ever come back to haunt him. In his mind, it had never been relevant to the direction his life had taken, but now here it was, biting him in the fucking ass.  
  
He should’ve known that the past never stays buried. 

Fowler let out a hard sigh as he leaned forward, like he wasn’t quite sure how to start talking. Instead, he picked up the tablet again, watching as information continued to scroll by and letting the mood settle. 

Gavin watched as Fowler frowned at something on the screen before he chucked it back down again with a huff. The captain seemed lost in thought as he leaned back in his chair, swiveling so he was sitting at an angle away from the two men in front of him.

“When did this all become so fucking complicated?” The tone Fowler spoke in made it clear it was a rhetorical question, but they all could pinpoint exactly where it went wrong, it wasn’t fucking rocket science. 

The captain’s eyes flickered over to quickly take in Gavin’s expression and as the omega shifted in his seat again, Fowler snapped back forward to face them. “Don’t you fucking dare smart me, Reed.”

Gavin wasn’t even going to try, he was simply trying to get more comfortable in his seat, but he still averted his gaze and ducked his head. 

“You might have deemed the information of you and Elijah Kamski being related insignificant and in fairness, at some point, it was... But that was before he unfortunately got murdered and the press got involved.” Fowler paused, clearly waiting for Gavin to look at him and when the omega did, he continued. “Now? It’s just solidified you being an accessory to murder.” 

“Joseph can vouch for me, Captain, I didn’t kill Elijah!” Gavin didn’t so much as shout as he pleaded, like he thought that if he did, it would change the reality of the situation.

Fowler held his gaze, his expression softening after a moment. 

“I’m not talking about the past week. Regardless of what the press are saying, I know Joseph here can vouch for you… ” The captain trailed off and shot Gavin an almost sad smile, but it did little to settle the sick realisation that was quickly shooting up within him.

He _was_ a fucking accessory to murder. 

An accessory to Neil. 

All that fucking communication. All those fucking texts and even phone calls. It’s not that Gavin explicitly knew about any of the crimes that Neil had committed, it was simply the fact that he had correspondence with the man for an extended period of time and because of his inaction, Neil had evaded getting arrested. 

If he had gone to Fowler earlier and told him everything, maybe he and Nines would still be together and maybe Elijah would still be alive. A lot of ‘maybes’ and it wouldn’t change all the shit he’d done, but still.

_Maybe Elijah would still be alive._

Maybe more people would still be alive.

There was a sour taste in Gavin’s mouth as that thought played over and over in his head.

He fucking deserved to lose his job over this; either kicked off the force with a dishonourable discharge or sent to fucking jail, nevermind a slap on the wrist and a suspension. 

All the fucking things that could have been avoided if he hadn’t been too much of a coward.

“That look on your face tells me we’re on the same page, Reed and I can tell you, Allen here feels exactly the same way. The thirty minutes he was in here before you joined us? He was raising this exact same issue.” Fowler shot him an expression that further reiterated his point.

Gavin turned his head so he was looking at Joseph, the tired expression he was greeted with made his stomach sink.  
  
“I’ll vouch for you in seconds flat over Elijah, Gavin and I went with you to CyberLife as a friend, I don’t want any doubt over that, but as a police officer... As someone who took a vow to uphold the law, I needed to speak with Fowler about the overall situation, I hope you understand.” 

Gavin did. 

Honestly, he was surprised Joseph had even extended him the courtesy of going with him to the crime scene in the first place. He was surprised Joseph still wanted to be his fucking friend. 

He felt like he had been at a crossroads earlier, like all of this was a pivotal moment, that he still had time to be a better fucking person. 

_Well, it’s time to fucking start, asshole_. 

“I do, Joseph.” Gavin stated. He wasn’t going to duck his head this time, he was going to own his mistakes. First he matched Allen’s tired smile, before he looked both alphas in the face, settling on maintaining eye contact with Fowler. 

“I’m not going to make any more excuses because that’s exactly what I’ve been making up until now... I’m going to face the consequences of my actions… They’re not even mistakes.” Gavin spoke slowly as he clasped his hands together in his lap, his thumb rubbing against a palm in lieu of bouncing his leg. 

Only briefly did Gavin bow his head and it was purely just to gather his thoughts, watching as he picked at his hands before shaking his head briefly, looking back up and studying Fowler square in the face. “I would have kicked my ass to the curb a long time ago… Arrest me, give me a dishonorable discharge… Whatever you and your superiors deem appropriate…”

There wasn’t any waver to Gavin’s voice. No pity or nerves, even though his tone was hushed, he spoke plainly and didn’t trip over his words. Saying them aloud sort of solidified the acceptance that, yeah, this was how it was now. After all, _he_ had made his bed, nobody else.

He saw Fowler search his face for a moment before he leaned forward, his expression hardening, his jaw setting as he rested his arms on top of his desk and he clasped his hands together.  
  
“This goes to court? Anderson, Chen, Connor and Allen could very well be called as witnesses against you… Nines too if he were here, do you understand?” Fowler’s tone matched Gavin’s.

There was no space for misinterpretation.

“I do.” 

They held each other’s gazes for a few moments, them almost dragging out into minutes before Fowler broke away and turned his attention to Joseph.  
  
“Captain, could you please excuse us?” 

Joseph quickly nodded his head once understanding, rising silently out of his chair without a word. He stood by Gavin’s side for a moment, hand coming to rest on the omega’s shoulder before he gave it a quick squeeze and just like that, he left. 

Fowler and Gavin spoke for what felt like an eternity.

An hour passed as they talked about all the possible outcomes for what exactly Gavin had gotten himself into. 

The week he had off for this heat, Fowler and his superiors had been drawing up official disciplinary action to bring against him. 

‘Disciplinary action’ was putting it lightly. 

Gavin was going to lose his job and there was to be an investigation into just exactly what had happened during the several months of correspondence between him and Neil. 

His old phone was going to be trawled for information, all of their texts read through, all of the times and dates noted; all to see how far it all went. There was no denying that he was an accessory; it wasn’t that he had outrightly helped Neil plan any of his crimes, it was a matter of how much Gavin had let the man get away with. If it was extensive enough, he’d be taken to court, tried and probably face definite jail time. 

He wouldn’t be able to work on the force anytime in the near future.

Gavin didn’t argue and Fowler wasn’t angry. 

He was more like a disappointed father talking to his son; there were long explanations in tired voices and heavy sighs. 

The captain even apologised for getting his hopes up before his heat; if Elijah hadn’t been murdered, they were still going to talk and this was all still going to happen, Elijah’s murder just acted as a catalyst, solidified the fact. 

There was no hiding the elephant in the room once it was out. 

Gavin didn’t fault Fowler, he understood.

Another hour went by before Hank and Connor returned from CyberLife and shortly after that, it was lunchtime. The man offered to escort him to get some food and Gavin thanked him, but considering what was happening, he thought it was more appropriate to stay where he was. 

Gavin stayed in Fowler’s office, alone, until Joseph knocked on the door a while later, two foil wrapped sandwiches in one hand and two takeaway cups of coffee in the other. 

What did he do to deserve people like Joseph being his friend?

After Allen clarified that he had okay’d the little visit with Fowler, the alpha kept him company whilst they ate. They sat in silence until it was broken by idle smalltalk, the two of them managing to fall back into talking about anything and nothing all at once.

Since he hadn’t managed to do it earlier, Gavin thanked Joseph for seeing him through his heat and the way Allen looked at him, his exaggerated smile doing little to hide the sorrow in his eyes, Gavin couldn’t help the sudden sense of melancholy that twisted hard in his gut.

For some reason, a few minutes later, as Joseph got up out of his seat, shooting one last small smile his way before he said goodbye, it felt like this was the last time they’d see each other.  
  
It was like how you said goodbye to someone you know would be dead the next time you saw them; it had that air of unspoken finality about it and it hit Gavin to his very core.  
  
Broken things needed time to mend. Sometimes they couldn’t be fixed at all.  
  
Joseph said he still thought of them as friends, but trust was hard to rebuild once it had disappeared. So not a final goodbye, but definitely the last one for a long time.

The man was just about to leave the office when Fowler burst through the door, clutching what appeared to be a little flash drive, Hank and Connor in tow behind him. 

The look on Fowler’s face stopped Joseph in his tracks, all of them turning to look at the captain as he strode around to behind his desk, the man all but shoving the drive into his workstation.

As whatever it was loaded up, Fowler shot a look in Gavin's direction that made his stomach sink and the omega couldn’t help but say something as his curiosity got the better of him, “What is it?” The way his voice came out as a whisper made him wince slightly, but he held the captain’s gaze.  
  
He saw Fowler’s eyes dart between him and Allen who was standing behind him, looking as though he was weighing up his options in his head before he swallowed whatever was swimming around in his head.  
  
“It was found down Elijah Kamski’s throat.” 

That was all the captain had to say. 

An image of a scalpel being taken to Elijah’s broken body, slowly cutting through his brother’s flesh as he was slumped in his chair flashed through Gavin’s mind and nausea wrapped tight around his gut as his heart thundered in his ears. 

Gavin closed his eyes and set his jaw as that image wouldn’t leave him.  
  
 _Found down his throat_.

That could only mean one thing.

When Gavin opened his eyes, the words that greeted him on the large interactive screen in Fowler’s office made that nausea tighten into a vice grip and Gavin felt like he couldn’t breathe.

They warped and glitched and Gavin swore those words would honestly be forever burnt into his memory.  
  
 **_YOU’RE MINE_ **

Static started to lick at the screen and those words gave way to a face and a pair of emerald green eyes that would haunt Gavin till the day he died. 

“Are you paying attention, _Gavin?”_

That carefully measured tone made his skin crawl; Gavin coud feel every single pair of eyes in Fowler’s office on him, but he couldn’t fucking look away.

It was like Neil was looking into his very soul, that gaze cutting and holding him open, setting out his sins for everyone to see. The man’s expression darkened, Neil’s sharp features accentuating his already ruthless glare into something downright dangerous.

Gavin watched as he stepped back from the camera.  
  
Neil paused for a moment, gaze held straight at the screen, straight at Gavin, seemingly doing nothing, but Gavin knew what he was doing. Neil was stepping back so he could see where he was. 

An old, apparently abandoned warehouse. 

“Is this live?” Hank’s voice cut through the silence and Gavin couldn’t help but feel a slight irritation at the interruption.

He pushed down his feelings and kept his voice carefully neutral as he answered, “Yeah… Yeah, it is.” Gavin just knew. 

_Gavin knew where Neil was._

They all watched as the man walked towards a hooded figure that was just about visible in the shadows and a tense feeling settled over the room as Neil gripped them tight by the arm. He literally forced them towards the camera, the muffled sound of their feet being dragged along concrete was audible through the speakers Fowler had in his office.

Gavin could see how hard Neil’s hand was digging into the arm he was holding; it was a small action that betrayed just how angry the man was. 

Neil usually kept his face carefully neutral, so devoid of anything too revealing, but Gavin was catching onto the little tells. The way his anger danced constantly in his eyes, it glinting like knives under moonlight, twisting his anger into undiluted fury. His mannerisms were always so controlled and measured, but in the few times Gavin had met him, it had been the small, subconscious things that gave him away. 

Even separated by a screen, even though they were fucking miles away, the world still managed to fall away so it was just the two of them. Gavin had been locked in a waltz with the devil for months and now the music was slowly starting to fade, the melody changing, except there would be no applause when this dance was over.

Neil gripped at the hood on the person’s head, they were close enough to the camera now that everyone could see it was a woman, Gavin watching as Neil’s eyes narrowed just minutely before he ripped the thing clean off.

He snaked a hand into her hair, pulling her head back so she had no choice but to look at the camera as Neil kept her in place. 

Those tear filled brown eyes that pleaded silently at the screen made a numbness settle over Gavin. Those tear filled eyes that he hadn’t seen since he was sixteen and had hoped he would never see again. Those eyes that belonged to the woman who had robbed him of his childhood.

The eyes of his mother. 

“One hour, Gavin... You come to Reid Park in one hour, _alone_ , or Jocelyn Kamski dies.”

_‘Do you know your mother is in the next room because he invited her?’_

Gavin didn’t know how to feel, staring down the face of the woman who had been the cause of so much grief, he didn’t really feel much of anything at all. 

So Neil hadn’t been lying the last time they met.

That sinking realisation set in and Gavin couldn’t help as his thoughts started to spiral. 

He never thought he’d have to see his mother again, Gavin had always vowed that if he ever did, that he’d burn that bridge for good, say all the things he had only dreamed of. 

Gavin could feel that dark part of himself, the same one that had whispered to him that Elijah deserved getting killed for all his transgressions, murmuring in his ear that perhaps his mother deserved the same. 

It was a hard thing to admit, but Gavin wouldn’t be sad if Neil killed his mother. 

“I can practically hear those wheels turning, _Gavin._ ”

That almost sing-song tone that Neil spoke in broke through his thoughts, Gavin managing to focus on those piercing green eyes that were staring straight at _him._

He watched Neil’s hand tightened in his mother’s hair, saw her wince as it became apparent just how hard he was gripping her there. 

“Don’t you think she deserves what’s coming to her? Don’t you think _you_ should be here?”

Gavin bit down on the inside of his bottom lip, the sharp pain giving him something to focus on instead of everything else; he didn’t want to fall prey to the quickly growing nerves that were swimming around in the pit of stomach, he didn’t want his leg to bounce, he didn’t want to break eye contact with the screen and look at everyone else in the suddenly cramped room.

The feed was just one way, Neil unable to see them all in Fowler’s office, but the slight smirk that curled a corner of his mouth for a fleeting moment before his features settled back into a hard glare almost made Gavin think otherwise. Like the man knew exactly what was swimming around and fucking around in his head. 

“And Captain Fowler… I know you’re there, watching, fucking listening… Doesn’t this all feel very familiar? Like we’ve all been here before?”  
  
The warehouse Neil was in was the same one Daniel had died in. The same one Gavin had gotten spiked in and the same one the DPD raided. 

It was the same one where all of this had fucking started. 

“You will give me what I want, otherwise Jocelyn Kamski’s corpse will turn up on the 5 o’clock news... and if two Kamskis turning up dead on the same day isn’t incentive enough…”

Neil trailed off and a gunshot was heard in the distance, followed up by a muffled yet distinct sound of _something_ landing onto concrete. The man just stared at the camera as the sound footsteps grew closer and eventually Nines walked on screen.  
  
The gun that he held tight in his hand made dread creep up Gavin’s spine, his eyes fluttering shut as he couldn’t stomach the sight of his partner just standing there.

“Alphas from every old blood family going and they’ll all be dead.... Reid Park. One hour. Do not be late.”

With that, Nines aimed his Colt clean at whatever was broadcasting their feed, squeezed the trigger and the screen went black as the feed was cut.

It was replaced by a map, two marked locations and a timer.

****

There were no blue blood messages to greet him this time.

No android to ambush him.

But there was a strange feeling in the pit of Gavin’s stomach as he moved through the old CyberLife warehouse, a twisted sense of deja-vu. Neil was right, they had all been here before. 

The DPD were on stand-by just like before. 

A SWAT team led by Joseph were on their way to one of the locations, it had been marked by an ‘H’ on the map back at the station.

_H for hostage._

Gavin kept his gun holstered as he slowly moved deeper into the building, a hand resting on the grip as he kept his body tense, Fowler had let him keep it for safety considering he was just about to go into the lion’s den alone.

He didn’t realise just how big the old warehouse was, the concrete flooring under foot giving way to some dirty white tiling. Gavin had argued that if he didn’t go alone, Neil would make good on his threat; Jocelyn would turn up dead. Another high profile alpha, another Kamski, Gavin knew Neil wasn’t one to bluff. He had never made empty threats, so Fowler had no choice. 

After a struggle, Gavin managed to push through a large set of double doors and he found himself in what appeared to be a large, cavernous room.  
  
Old machinery littered the walls, broken and covered in debris and dust, all surrounding a small room of some kind. It seemed to be the focal point of whatever this place was once used for, Gavin presumed; it’s glass walls blending in seamlessly to the floor. 

He scanned his surroundings, his eyes focusing on a stairwell to his right and he saw the viewing lounge that overlooked the main space. It reminded Gavin of a medical observation theater.

The other location had been marked ‘N’ and when he caught sight of that unmistakable silhouette further along in the window; the man’s face casted in shadow as he stood with his hands in his pockets just _watching_ , Gavin’s breath caught in his throat.

His hand tightened momentarily on his gun, eyes narrowing before he ultimately decided against what was racing through his head and left it holstered, instead making his way towards the stairs, taking them one at a time as he carefully made his way to the observation lounge. 

Every step closer caused his heart to pound louder and louder in his ears, beat harder and harder in his chest, before eventually, he was standing facing the door, hand resting on it as he waited to go in. 

Gavin’s nerves fell away as a numbness settled over him, his breathing evening out as he finally pushed open the door and stepped inside.  
  
He made his way past rows of sparse folding chairs, eventually coming to a stop opposite the man who he had let turn his life upside down. Gavin could just about see his mother, tied up and gagged on the floor somewhere to his left, but like always, everything else in the world slipped away until it was just the person in front of him.  
  
 _Neil fucking Clarke._

Still standing with his back towards him.  
  
The silence drew out as the man continued to focus his interest on the room below them, the stiff line of his shoulders betraying the quiet that had settled between as nothing more than a pretense. 

If Gavin didn’t know better, it was like Neil was trying to find the right thing to say.

“I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away.”

Those words made an inexplicable anger shoot up inside Gavin, he wasn’t sure exactly how he’d been expecting things to go, but he wasn’t expecting Neil to be so... calm.  
  
So decidedly uninterested that the person he’d been obsessed with for months was now willingly right in front of his face.

Gavin so desperately wanted to scream, wanted to shout until he was blue in the face and his voice disappeared, demanding answers to the questions that kept swimming around his head. He wanted to know about Neil’s plans with the new strain of Red Ice. He wanted to know if it were possible to change people’s secondary gender.

Above all though, Gavin just wanted to know why. 

Why him? 

But as he stood there, every time he went to open his mouth, all the words he wanted to say died on his tongue. Little ghosts of his courage that choked him as his cowardice gripped tight at his throat. ****

Tears pricked at the corners of Gavin’s eyes, his hands curling and uncurling into fists over and over by his sides and he heard Neil make a displeased noise in the back of his throat. As the man just stood there, the seconds drawing out, it was like this was the first time Gavin properly took him in. 

He held his right shoulder slightly different, held it just a fraction lower than his left, holding that side of his body stiffer as if to compensate for the tiny shortcoming. Gavin also saw that Neil had two old scars that ran the nape of his neck, them both disappearing up into his hairline and them tapering off to connect just above the top of his spine, that rather prominent scar disappearing underneath the pristine white collar of his shirt.

The longer Gavin stared, the more those questions swirling in his head died away, leaving behind that darker part of him that started to whisper.

The tears in his eyes twisted from disbelief, from an anger over the man in front of him, to an almost shameful guilt. 

Why had Neil killed Elijah? Did he really do it _for him?_

Why _was_ his mother here? Was she going to end up dead like his brother? Why was _he_ here? Was Neil going to get him to kill her? Even after everything, Gavin didn’t want her dead. 

_Yes, you do. Admit it, asshole, you want her de-_

Gavin had been almost too eager to suggest a plan of action when they had all been talking back in Fowler’s office. 

He argued against wearing a wire because the risk of Neil checking or it getting damaged was just too high, the Captain agreed, so instead, he would have just thirty minutes. Thirty minutes alone to stall for time because there was no way Neil was going to turn himself in. Stall so Joseph and his team could move in after securing the hostages.

Essentially just like before. 

And Neil had asked for Gavin to come alone.  
  
The DPD had been backed into a corner and it wasn’t like they had much of a choice, but that didn’t stop those cogs from turning. That seed of a thought being planted in his brain, taking root and growing, unable to stop himself from thinking that this was somehow exactly what Neil wanted. But perhaps, this is what Gavin wanted, too.   
  
_You want her dead, you want to kill her! Go on! Admit it, Gavin! Neil here can help you do it, afterall, she’d deserve it… Just like Elijah._ _  
__  
__You want to kill her, admit it to yourself… YOU WANT TO KILL H-_

Gavin snatched his gun from his holster as his anger bubbled over, aiming it squarely at Neil in front of him, tears threatening to fall as he set his jaw, “Face me.” His voice shook as he grit out those words and Gavin hated it, hated himself for being so fucking emotional, but Neil still stood with his back towards him.

“F-fucking face me, you f-fucking _ASSHOLE!”_ He shouted so his voice managed to fill the confines of the lounge, but the pleading in it was unmissable.  
  
Gavin could practically see the smirk forming on Neil’s lips, but as the man turned to face him, his features were expressionless, a brow ticking up for just a brief moment as he saw Gavin frown in confusion, his head cocking to the side. 

“Something to say?” His face was devoid of anything, but the almost smug, blunt tone Neil spoke in made Gavin’s skin crawl.

It stopped him dead in his tracks, his anger quickly melting away into nerves, Gavin faltering as he rearranged the grip on his pistol, it trembling slightly as his arm started to waver. With reality looking at him square in the eye, the thousand things Gavin wished he could say all fell away until the only thing that escaped his lips was ‘Why?’

His question hung between them and if Neil was disappointed, he didn’t show it, the way the silence drew out speaking instead volumes. The man didn’t break eye contact, but the cool disinterest Neil regarded him with cut deeper than any knife.  
  
An uneasy apprehension started to creep up the base of Gavin’s spine at such a simple action. Neil didn’t need to say anything, his mind was already starting to race a mile a minute, he was like an animal that was eating itself.  
  
“Is that _really_ what you want to ask?” Neil’s voice cut through his thoughts, that rasp that managed to come out like a purr, curling around Gavin’s insides.

It _is_ what Gavin wanted to ask, wasn’t it? 

He did want to know why Neil had done everything he did.

Gavin searched Neil’s face, his nerves now gripped at him vice-tight, an almost pleading expression on his face as he looked at the man opposite.  
  
That is what he had wanted to ask, it was, it was, it-

The grip on his gun faltered once again, Gavin lowering it just a fraction as doubt started to whisper in his ear, begging him to submit to those darker thoughts; take the very obvious bait Neil was dangling in front of his face - _Neil wanted him to submit, to crumble_ \- and in an effort to avoid falling any further, Gavin said the first thing that popped into his head. “What is this place?” 

There was just enough conviction in his voice that he managed to fool himself into believing he still had some semblance of control, that he wasn’t falling apart at the seams. That he wasn’t being dragged deeper and deeper into Neil’s current. 

Neil let out a noise of disappointment, like he couldn’t quite believe that Gavin was still avoiding the obvious, but nevertheless he decided to humour him. Much like a parent humouring a child as he explained that this was where CyberLife and LifeLine held the secondary gender modification trial. 

Neil eventually turned his head so he could look back out the window for just a moment, his gaze directed at the little glass box-room that sat below them before he returned his focus back to Gavin.  
  
“Don’t you think Elijah deserved it, Gavin? For everything he did? For everything he did to you? I killed him for you.” The soft tone Neil spoke in made his voice curl around Gavin’s very bones, made it settle in his very core.

 _I killed him for you_.

There it was, the one thing Gavin didn’t want to hear because he was afraid it would break open the floodgates he had tried so very hard to keep closed.

Neil took a slow step towards him and that managed to somewhat break the strange spell that had settled between them both. 

“You s-stay the fuck there!” Gavin grit out, his face pulled into a grimace as he straightened his posture and motioned with his gun, almost pushing his words through himself as if he hoped they would give him the strength he needed. 

“You’re not going to shoot me.”

Neil was right, he wasn’t.

Before Gavin could continue his protest, however, Neil closed the gap between them so the muzzle of his gun was pressing flush against his left shoulder.  
  
This close together, there was no hiding his nerves now, the tremor in Gavin’s hand causing the gun to falter against Neil’s pristine black suit. As Neil wrapped his right hand slowly around the gun, gently coaxing him into lowering it, there was no stopping the tears that spilled over and slipped down Gavin’s cheeks.  
  
There was no stopping the breakdown that had been just waiting to happen.

“He-he did, you’re right… h-he did…” Was all Gavin managed to choke out between the sobs that racked through his body. 

He couldn’t help but flinch as Neil brought up a hand to cup his cheek, wiping away his tears with a thumb, shame burning at his cheeks as he found himself leaning into the man’s surprisingly soft touch.  
  
“ _I know._ ” 

Gavin felt Neil’s other hand come up to cup his other cheek, the man gently holding his face, looking him square in the eye. Gavin’s eyes fluttered shut, his breath catching in his throat as he felt Neil move in closer, them opening a second later and when he did, Neil’s face was barely an inch from his.

“I know… I did it for you.” His voice was quiet and soft, like those hushed words were made for Gavin and Gavin alone.  
  
His eyes searched Neil’s face; almost begging him for answers on what to do, on how to feel, guilty tears slipping down his cheeks as no more than a few seconds later, he felt lips on his. 

Neil kissed him, deep and slow. 

The man didn’t stop, Gavin felt Neil’s fingers splay into his hair, his lips and tongue felt like they were delving into his very fucking soul and eventually, Gavin closed his eyes. 

Against his better judgment, he found himself kissing back. 

With every passing second, Gavin found himself melting under Neil’s touch, every kiss they shared crumbling his defences until soon, Gavin was sure he’d be cracked open and laid bare for the man to see. 

Then again, hadn’t that already happened?

Time seemed to honey, drawing out until eventually, Neil pulled away, Gavin subconsciously chasing after his mouth until his eyes fluttered open and he caught himself. 

Those green eyes that greeted him pierced through his very being. The disappointment he saw flash through them at his hesitation made shame settle in his gut, it twisting with his nerves so it almost sat like nausea in his stomach. 

“You’re _mine_... Do you understand?”

Neil’s hands tightened around his face, the hard tone he spoke in caused more hot tears to slip down Gavin’s cheeks. He couldn’t answer. 

_He couldn’t_. 

This isn’t what he wanted. 

_This isn’t-_

Gavin pursed his mouth, his tears catching on his lips as he closed his eyes, unable to look Neil in the face as those hard eyes searched his face. Always searching, searching, sear-

He felt Neil’s hands fall away, heard the sharp click of his heels against the old wooden floor and moments later he felt something at his feet, felt as someone saddled up behind him. 

Broad shoulders enveloped him. He felt a strong arm snake around his waist, a hand coming to rest just flush above his crotch. He felt the other run leisurely down his right arm, a soft hand eventually wrapping around his own that held his gun. He felt a presence by his right ear, the almost contact making his skin crawl. But he couldn’t fucking pull away. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t-

“Open your eyes.”

Gavin felt Neil’s grip on his gun tighten, the man trying to raise his arm, but he pushed back. He wasn’t going to play his game. He wasn’t going to fall down the rabbit hole. He wasn’t-

_“OPEN THEM.”_

That commanding tone shot through him, the omega in his blood answering that anger in the only way it knew how. 

Gavin choked out a breath as he let Neil guide his arm up, let him hold it at an angle and his eyes snapped open.

“Don’t you think she deserves it?” 

His mother was on her knees in front of him, her tearful brown eyes staring up at him. Pleading with him. _Begging._

“For everything she’s done?”

_You know she does, Gavin._

The torn, almost apologetic expression on Gavin’s face made his mother’s eyes widen and he heard the muffled sobs from behind the gag in her mouth. 

After all the years of abuse, it would be so easy to give into that part of him that was telling him that she did. As the past started to press in on him, as his thoughts started to spiral, Gavin’s hand started to shake, the gun trembling as his finger danced over the trigger. 

“Go on, Gavin… Do it.”

Neil purring in his ear, keeping him there, it would be so easy to give in.

“Kill her.”

Fresh tears slipped down his cheeks, the trigger felt like it was made for him, it would just be so easy to squeeze it and be done.

His finger itched.

“ _Kill her, Gavin.”_

This was his crossroads. He had an active choice. 

Gavin’s grit his teeth as his finger rested on the trigger, a pained noise sitting at the back of his throat.  
  
 _Just squeeze it, go on._

His finger twitched.

“ _KILL HER!_ ”

He had an active choice.

That noise, that scream in his throat built and built until it died, his muscles slacking along with it. His hand felt heavy, it wanted to fall away from the gun, but Neil held it there. 

_“No.”_

Gavin’s voice was a barely there whisper, but it felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. 

His mother deserved _something_ for what she’d done and Gavin had a worthy reason more than most to give it to her, but murder wasn’t the answer. Neil was trying to coerce him into killing her, but Gavin knew that act would bind him to the devil forever. 

As much as he wanted to, Gavin couldn’t.

She would face justice for conspiring with a known murderer and that would have to be enough. 

It wasn’t an act of forgiveness, but an act of letting go. 

Gavin had to start letting go of his past if he wanted to move forward. 

“What did you say?” Neil’s voice brought him back to the present.

But instead of nerves, instead of dread, that harsh tone made him set his jaw. 

“ _I said no_.” All the emotions coursing through his veins boiled down until all they did was lend Gavin’s voice a rough edge as he answered, but it didn’t waver. 

He heard Neil let out a disappointed hum and felt the grip on his hand tighten so it almost became crushing.

“What a shame, Gavin… That was your chance.”

Before Gavin even knew what was happening, Neil twisted round, ripping the gun from his hand as he moved and he whipped it clean across Gavin’s face which caused him to fall to the floor. 

He felt a hand bundle into hair before it gripped tight, Neil forcing him up into a kneeling position, forcing him to look him in the face before he smacked the gun clean across his face once more. Then a third time, causing blood to stream from Gavin’s nose. Only then did Neil seem satisfied, shoving his face away as he stepped back.

“I’ve been nothing but nice to you this entire time… All you had to fucking do was pull the trigger, but now you’re going to learn.” The cruel undertone to Neil’s voice was palpable. 

Gavin’s eyes followed the man as he paced in front of him, Neil shooting him a look as he stopped in front of his mother. Gavin saw the way his green eyes narrowed before Neil broke contact.

He carefully lined up Gavin’s gun with his mother’s head, Jocelyn looking at Gavin one last time before she closed her eyes, Neil placing the muzzle flush against her temple and cocking the hammer.  
  
Neil looked him in the eye, the sadistic glint that danced in them was unmissable as he pulled the trigger, the shot ringing out around them as Gavin watched his mother’s corpse slump to the floor. 

“You take advantage of my kindness… of my fucking generosity…” Neil trailed off as strode back towards him, Gavin winced as he felt a hard hand curl itself back into his hair, forcing him to look upwards, forcing him to look into the eyes of the devil himself, “I told you once that you’d be wise to not mistake my fucking patience for weakness and now you’ve pushed and fucking pushed…” 

Gavin saw Neil’s arm pull back, saw the gun held high behind him and he knew what was coming next, all he could do was close his eyes. 

Once they started, the blows didn’t stop.

The metal kept colliding with his face.

“You think this is my fault?! That I forced you to ruin your fucking life?! I picked you up, pulled you in… Before you met me, you were fucking nothing, Gavin!”

Gavin felt his nose break.

He felt the cartilage crack, his skin split, that scar opening right back up again.

“You could have been so much more... I gave you one last chance to join me, to build something from the ruins of your miserable little life and you fucking spit it back in my fucking face!” 

Blood streamed down his face. Gavin felt his skin burn, every nerve ending felt like it was on fire, but Neil _didn’t stop._

“We’ve all got our demons, Gavin, but at least I don’t use mine as an excuse.”

Gavin could feel a split in his lip, a gash in his cheek, could feel one of his eyes swelling shut when Neil shoved down his shoulders and brought up his knee, kneeing him clean in the stomach and Gavin cried out in pain as he slumped to the floor. 

“I’m a psychopath and you’re nothing special, Gavin. You’re just the one that got away all those months ago.”

Gavin wheezed out a barely there breath, choking on the blood in his mouth before he coughed it onto the floor, doubling over as Neil started to kick him in the ribs. 

Kick after kick kept coming, Gavin’s cries growing weaker and weaker until they stopped all together and only when he grew completely silent, did Neil stop.

Gavin felt the air shift as the man crouched down beside him and after moments ticked by, he felt a hard hand snake back into his hair.  
  
“I’ll tell you what... I’ll give you one last chance, Gavin, how about that?”

He winced as Neil pulled him up off the floor, forcing him to stand on unsteady feet and holding him there.

“Look at me.”

Gavin cracked open the one eye that was still working, tears still managing to escape the one that had swollen shut and they slipped down his cheeks, disappearing into the sticky mess that was his face.

Neil picked up his right arm, slapping the blood covered gun into his hand and curled his fingers into a fist around it, forcing him to hold it.  
  
“Prove to me you’re not a coward.”

He guided the pistol upwards, forcing Gavin to put the muzzle clean against his forehead.

“You can solve all your problems right here and shoot me.”

Neil’s hands fell away and Gavin held the gun there. 

“Kill me, Gavin.”

The gun shook in his grip.

_“DO IT!”_

Gavin’s face pulled into a grimace, a silent shout getting caught in his throat as his finger danced on the trigger, but just as he was about to squeeze it, Gavin let his arm fall instead, the gun slipping from his grip and it clattered to the floor. 

It would have been so easy to just blow Neil away, but Gavin had to be better.

_He had to be better._

He saw Neil look at the pistol for a few moments before he turned his attention back to him, a wild look in his eye as he struck his face one last time with the back of a hand.

Gavin fell to his knees.

“What a shame.”

Gavin didn’t even bother looking Neil in the eye as the man finally took out his own gun, he had a feeling he knew what was going to come next. 

This was the bed he had made and it just so happened to be in the shape of a coffin.

Gavin closed his eyes as he heard the distinctive cock of a hammer.

All he could do as he knelt there was hope that Joseph and his team had found Nines and managed to incapacitate him, saving the hostages.

He hoped they’d be able to save Nines too, fix him.

_Happy endings only happened in fairytales, but Gavin had to hope._

“You were supposed to be mine, but if I can’t have you? No one can.”

Seconds ticked by before a single shot rang out, just like it had for his mother.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is! The last chapter!
> 
> I had two endings to this in mind, wrote them both out completely and this was the one I went with.
> 
> I do have some ideas knocking around for this verse, but for now, I need a bit of a break! Not done quite yet (maybe), but Bloodines is going to have a extended nap for now.
> 
> I do hope you've enjoyed reading and I hope you've enjoyed every twist and turn. 
> 
> Before the main event, a few 'house keeping' things to get out of the way first.  
> To everyone who's taken the time to comment, leave kudos and read this far - you don't know how thankful I am. There have been many times when I've felt like giving up with this story, but all of you managed to give me the motivation to continue writing so many times when I wanted to give up. So, thank you! You really all don't know how grateful I am!
> 
> And to Bones; my beta, I've already gifted you this entire monster of a fic as thanks, you really don't know how much your eagerness to read each new chapter (and talking about Neil) picked me up time and time again. Thank you for letting me vent and moan and thank you helping me pick. Thank you for everything. Bloodlines honestly wouldn't be half as good if it wasn't for you <3
> 
> Her OC makes an appearence towards the end.  
> Hope his addition was a nice surprise!
> 
> Right, with that out of the way, I hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading!  
> (I need a nap ;w;)
> 
> spacebiotics on twitter  
> spacebiotics on tumblr  
> if you wanna come say hi (or ask after the alt. ending!)

The hardest part had been… Had been everything.

The fact that he was even alive in itself had to be some form of minor miracle.

After all, Gavin had got shot in the head.

How many people could say they got shot in the head at practically point blank range and could live to tell the tale? Silver linings, he supposed.

The bullet just about passed through the left side of his brain. It skimmed his frontal lobe, passing clean through the parietal and occipital lobes, hitting almost every major area, but luckily missing those parts that would have meant certain death.

Neil managed to escape, because of fucking course he did, but Joseph had managed to subdue Nines and get to Gavin in time to get him to a hospital.

The usual deciding factor in a wound of Gavin’s calibre was the blood loss; but since the SWAT Captain had acted so quickly, the omega had a higher chance of survival.

After he had been rushed into hospital and was operated on, Gavin was put into a medically induced coma for three weeks.

That had been several months ago. 

And after he woke up, Gavin faced the hardest task of all.

Physiotherapy.

He had spent several months in a state-owned rehabilitation center, because he was going to face prison time as soon as they deemed that he had made enough of a recovery.

The case against him was passed while he was still in a coma. 

He didn’t get to plead his case, didn’t get to try to say his side of things, didn’t get to try to defend himself, to explain - He didn’t get to do anything.

Then again, perhaps that was for the best. 

Once he woke up, he had to learn to walk and partially talk all over again.

Those were the biggest hurdles, but they were probably the easiest to visualise and work on in terms of recovery. The more abstract stuff; the reading and picking up on social cues, working on controlling his emotions, working through the constant headaches and memory loss, that was the stuff Gavin really struggled with. 

He still struggled with it now, a day before he was due to go into prison. The state had deemed him well enough after three months and he was soon going to start his sentence. 

Right now though? Gavin was sitting at a small round table in a visitors room, waiting for Joseph and Nines. He was by the only window, barred from the outside and he tipped his head to the side as he looked out at the cold winter’s day. 

It was mid February and he had missed Elijah’s funeral. Just like his trial, it had been held whilst he was in a coma, but from what he had heard, his mother was buried right alongside him. Perhaps it was a good thing he had missed it. 

Gavin also didn’t get a proper Christmas. He was only allowed one visitor, but all he got was one simple phone call.

Tina and Joseph did manage to swing by for a visit during the week between Christmas and New Years when they really didn’t have to, which he appreciated. If he was being honest with himself, he really did not expect anyone to show up at all.

As his thoughts spiraled, his brows knit together and Gavin quietly watched as a squirrel picked up something off the ground and ran up a tree.  
  
They were in the middle of some forgotten corner of the city, but the care Gavin had received was second to none, so he couldn’t really complain. 

People and nature always had a way of enduring, no matter how hard the circumstance. In terms of health, Gavin was slowly bouncing back, but he knew that in other terms he was going to have to pick up the pieces and start over.  
  
He had a fucking long way to go.

A small smile crossed his lips as his gaze lingered out the window, watching and thinking for a drawn out moment before he leaned to the side and pulled out his phone from his sweatpants with a slightly shaky hand - Joseph and Tina had come together to get a cheap one for him as a Christmas gift.

Even though the action of pulling out his phone was so minor, Gavin still got tired quicker than usual and he could already feel his body silently beginning to protest.

He typed in his passcode, a hard feeling settling in his stomach like it did every time he used his phone, that pang of guilty shame as the small thing in his hand acted as a massive reminder of everything he had done.

As he checked the time, just to make sure Joseph and Nines were not running late, Gavin couldn’t help but reach up and rub at his head, fingertips brushing over the nasty scar on his forehead. Another reminder that he’d have to live with for the rest of his life. 

Besides physiotherapy, Gavin had also been seeing a psychiatrist. 

Not only had he been working through the unresolved trauma from his childhood and the tangled mess that was his relationship with his secondary gender, but also working through the fresh trauma from surviving his gunshot.

He had made his own bed with regards to what had happened with Neil, but that still didn’t stop the PTSD.

It was ever present. A lingering background sound that sometimes became deafening. A monster in his own shadow, ready to pounce when he least expected it.

It was 12:55, Joseph had said they were going to get there at one, they still had five minutes, but that didn’t stop the nerves from starting. The irrational idea that they just wouldn’t fucking turn up was licking at the edges of his thoughts even though he knew they were both men of their word.

This was the first time he was going to see Nines since getting shot. They hadn't spoken for months.

He was fucking terrified.

Gavin’s grip tightened on his phone, his other hand coming down to fiddle with the flimsy plastic medical ID bracelet that was on his wrist. He started to chew at the inside of his cheek and just when his leg was going to start bouncing, an oh so familiar voice cut through his anxieties.  
  
“Hey, Gav, how are things?”  
  
 _Joseph._

Gavin quickly turned to face the alpha, a relieved and lopsided smile quickly gracing his features as he took in the man standing in front of him. He shoved his phone hastily back into his pant’s pocket. 

Allen was still bundled up in his black winter coat, scarf, woolly hat and gloves, cheeks rosy from the cold. The man shot him a warm smile as he pulled off his gloves, shoving them into his pocket as Gavin managed to slowly gather himself up from the table. 

Joseph pulled him into a hug, one with heart, but one that was gentle around the edges, softly clapping him on the back before he moved away.  
  
“You good?” He asked gently when Gavin didn’t give him an answer to his first question.

That unmistakable alpha scent quickly curled around his insides, settling Gavin’s thoughts just like it always did. God, he had fucking missed it. More than he’d like to admit.  
  
“Y-yeah.”  
  
They had come to visit, see him one last time under some sense of normalcy.  
  
Since he was an omega with extremely extenuating circumstances, Gavin would be separate from the general prison population, just like any other omega who went to prison under the same pretenses. Not because he was getting preferential treatment, but because he was serving a prison sentence, not a death sentence.

Joseph and Nines were the alphas he had listed that could see him through his heats whilst incarcerated, so they would see each other again, but it wouldn’t be the same. 

Gavin smiled again, the action lending his singular word the truth he hoped it already had.  
  
All things considered, he was genuinely feeling good.

Sure, he was going to fucking prison, but at the same time, Gavin felt like he was finally getting his life on track. He was slowly making his way out of the forest he didn’t even realise he’d gotten lost in; trauma was a part of his life, had never quite left his side, but with help, he was realising that he couldn’t let it rule him.  
  
Trauma had made him say some dark things and act like a piece of shit, but Gavin was aware he had to stop using it as an excuse. 

Now he had to own his mistakes, apologise and work hard towards being better. 

_He had to be better._

All he could hope was that the people he had pushed away would let him back into their lives, but he would understand if they couldn’t. He wasn’t going to hold grudges or get angry, but rather understand their perspectives too; it was something he had been working on with his psychiatrist.

Joseph moved, pulling off his coat and hanging it on the back of a chair before he sat down and the action broke Gavin from his thoughts, his eyes finally settling on Nines who was standing stiffly a ways behind. 

The omega waited, a sea of different emotions crashing through him before he eventually broke his gaze and ducked his head, only then did he hear the alpha move. 

CyberLife had managed to restore Nines’ memories thanks to a flashdrive that had been found in Elijah’s pocket of all places, but they hadn’t managed to shift some of the more entrenched programming Neil had put in.  
  
Gavin had heard that Nines was now a lot more ‘alpha’. He had far less patience and was quick to anger and Joseph had taken him under his wing. Nines was now part of his SWAT team. He had even gone so far as to cut and change his hair, it was now styled into an undercut which was a muted silver-grey and matched his eyes

They had both come out of this ordeal with their scars. They were both different people.

Gavin blinked as he saw a hand slowly extend into his vision, stopping just shy of touching his naval, waiting to be shook. He tipped his head up, meeting those hard grey eyes and when he saw a curt smile on Nines’ lips, something settled in Gavin’s stomach.  
  
It was extremely formal, but formal was better than nothing. It filled him with a sense of hope.

“Hello, Gavin.” Nines’ familiar baritone that he hadn’t heard in months had his lips curling upwards into a hopeful little smile.

“Hey, Nines.” Gavin’s voice sounded tired as he answered, his hand trembled as he reached up and took Nines’ in his own, but the strength he managed to put into their handshake was unmistakable.

He waited until Nines pulled away, went and sat down at the table before he even thought about moving, joining the two alphas after a moment.

A few minutes passed of just idle small talk, Joseph catching up Gavin on what had been happening at the precinct and how everyone was doing before he explained how Ruby was getting along. 

It took a good twenty minutes of back and forth between them, Nines chiming in stiffly on the odd occasion before the android slowly started to open up. Not completely, but enough that it managed to move the conversation from awkward to just on the right side of friendly. 

Only when everyone was comfortable, did Joseph pull out Uno, having checked with the nurse beforehand that it was okay for Gavin to play. 

Turns out having to pair numbers and dealing with unforeseen circumstances in a controlled environment was a great way to exercise the brain and get Gavin to work through a variety of emotional states without realising it. 

Thirty minutes later, after a deftly played reverse card, Joseph was the victor. 

It took a moment for Gavin to properly process since he was so sure he was going to win, but any grievances were worked through and the omega let Allen have his rightful moment.

Their allocated visitation time was almost over, but they still managed to squeeze in coffee before they had to leave. 

As they sat around the table, Gavin and Joseph sharing a shitty vending machine coffee, it was almost like they were back at the station, all three of them sharing a down moment together whilst they drank that infamously shitty breakroom coffee. 

A moment of almost normal that unfortunately couldn’t last.

Once their empty paper cups were put down on the table, Nines eventually rose, Joseph following slowly after.  
  
The alpha put on his coat and Gavin followed them over to the exit, but that was as far as he could go.  
  
Joseph and Nines turned to face Gavin, Allen pulling the omega into a gentle hug before he could say anything. The man sniffed in a breath as he squeezed Gavin to him, to which Gavin slowly wrapped his arms around him as he buried his face into the crook of Joseph’s neck.

The only betrayal of emotion the two allowed themselves before they parted.

“Oh, before I forget, Tina and Hank said they’ll be popping by after we leave sometime,” Allen paused, shooting a look between Gavin and Nines before he pulled on his scarf with a smile. “I’ll let you two have a moment… I’ll see you outside, Nines.”  
  
Gavin frowned as he watched the man turn on his heel. He knew why Joseph was leaving, he was trying to give them a moment alone, but Gavin wasn’t done.

This wasn’t a goodbye.  
  
Nor was it even a proper start at trying to salvage the relationships from the damage he had caused.  
  
“Joseph, wait…” He reached out, grabbing Allen’s wrist and ignoring the glare he got from Nines at his outburst, but the android quickly rearranged himself as Joseph turned back towards them.

Gavin quickly let go, arm falling back to his side as he looked between the two alphas in front of him, a million different things racing through his head over what he should say.  
  
“I-I… I need to…” Gavin trailed off, expression hardening as he let out a sigh, “You two came here without so much as an apology from me over what I’ve done and-”

“Not here, Gav.” Joseph cut him off, the alpha offering him a sad smile when he saw the confusion on his face. “This is something that definitely needs talking about, but... It needs a lot more than five minutes.” 

“You can apologise if it makes you feel better, Gavin, but it’s up to us if we decide to accept it.” Nines added in a rather blunt, emotionless tone.

The android’s words hung heavy between them. Nines had beat him to the punch and it stung, but it was the truth.  
  
None of his friends owed him anything.  
  
 _“I’m sorry.”_

Gavin had to say it.  
  
“We know.” Joseph’s sad voice matched his smile. 

Nines said nothing. He just straightened, clasped his hands behind his back and eventually left, going to wait outside the building. The two of them looked after him, letting the mood settle before Joseph eventually spoke again. 

“Tina and Hank won’t be long, I’m sure and… And I’ll see you in a month or so, okay?” 

It had already been arranged that Allen was to see him through his first heat whilst in prison.

“Y-yeah… Yeah, okay.” Gavin’s voice sounded heavy as he answered.

Joseph shot him one last smile and just like Nines, he left.  
  
The visit was definitely ending on a lower note than it had started, but it needed to be said. There was no point in ignoring the obvious for longer than was needed because if it wasn’t talked about now, it was just going to be dealt with later. And if he had learnt anything from recent events, it was the longer things were left unsaid, the more difficult they became to handle.

There weren’t many things to do to pass the time, so Gavin swallowed his emotions as he shuffled towards the vending machine on the far wall, taking his time once he was there to savour another shittily made coffee before he slowly moved past the orderly and made his way towards the bathroom. 

Just as he was about to dip into the restroom, Gavin’s gaze caught on a stranger in the hallway.

A rather prominent scar ran the right side of his face, starting in his undercut and cutting through the eye on that side before it finished on his nose. A smaller scar ran parallel underneath and Gavin could see he was also blind in that eye, the silvery-grey colour being a dead give away. 

He also had a little crossbones tattooed beneath the outer corner.

Whoever he was, Gavin got a weird sense he was bad fucking news. He couldn’t explain it. The man just gave off a vibe that made him want to stay the fuck away. Yet there he was, staring anyway.

His broad shoulders and built frame made him look like he was some sort of bodyguard. 

His overactive brain offered hitman, but Gavin quickly pushed that stupid idea from his mind. 

Gavin only realised he was staring when he was convinced that the man must have felt it, like he had a sixth sense, because he turned to face him directly. The man’s other eye, which was honey brown, was looking straight at him and Gavin could feel his cheeks heating.  
  
“Sorry, man.” He mumbled, ducking his head as he was caught in the act.

As made his way into the bathroom, he heard the stranger curse after him, a rather harsh ‘Fuck you’ snapped out in an extremely thick Russian accent, but instead of turning around and snapping back, Gavin just bit his tongue and shook his head. 

He would not act on his impulses. He would not let his anger get the best of him. He was going to be better than that. Even if someone tried to aggravate him, he was going to be the better man.

Maybe seeing his psychiatrist really was paying off.

Once he was all done, he slowly made his way back towards the visitors room, whoever the stranger was had disappeared from the hallway and Gavin’s attention was caught by the orderly who waved to him.  
  
“You’ve got two more visitors, Reed, same table as last time.”  
  
Hank and Tina.

Gavin turned to look back at the man stationed by the door, shooting the guy a smile as he made his way towards where he had sat with Joseph and Nines, not really looking as he sat down.

Before he could properly react, he felt a presence behind him and the voice that filled his ears made dread shoot up within him in record time.  
  
“Hello, Gavin.”

He snapped his head up from where he had been looking at the table.

“I’ve been told you’ve already met Seven.” That uncomfortably familiar voice piped up with oh so casual tone and as Gavin twisted slightly in his seat, he could see the Russian stranger from the hall right behind him. 

His stomach dropped, but when he turned back to face the man sat opposite, the man whose voice had his stomach twisting into knots he wouldn’t be able to untie, a coldness that Gavin couldn’t describe settled right into his bones.

_Neil._


End file.
